Up From Slavery

"Up From Slavery" is Booker T. Washington's autobiography. At 19 years of age, he couldn't read or write but admired ex slaves who could. They were treated like celebrities by other ex slaves. The ex slave who could read would often be given a newspaper and would read it aloud in public while other ex slaves would gather round to hear him read. Mr. Washington yearned to be that celebrity, and he did that and tons more.

At Tuskeegee, the students there made their own bricks to build their own dorms. Locals in the area saw that the bricks were of such fine quality that they would order them and buy them from the institute.

It's not a long book, but very inspiring.