Up from Slavery by Booker T. WashingtonStudents of the modern Civil Rights movement understand there is a sharp difference between Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. Both are important, even iconic, but on many issues they simply didn't agree.
W. E. B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington played similar roles at the beginning of the 20th century. Both are important icons of black empowerment in the early progressive era, but on many issues they didn't see eye-to-eye.
Du Bois disparagingly called Washington "the Great Accomodator," and criticized his willingness to accept certain elements of segregation. The Black Power movement of the 1960s saw in Washington much of what was wrong in previous Civil Rights battles. Washington's advocacy for slow and methodical change was seen by many as weakness and willingness to accept second-class citizenship.
This may be, but Washington was a tremendous organizer, and through his deft skills of negotiation and diplomacy was able to create a powerful network of political influence.
Why this is progressive/liberal: Progressives embrace multi-culturalism and diversity. To understand the diversity in the US it is important to understand the histories of the many different cultures within the US borders. Black history didn't start with Martin Luther King, Jr. and can't be contained within Black History Month. Booker T. Washington played an important role in the racial politics of post-slavery America and every progressive should know his story.
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Here's a free Kindle version: Up from Slavery: an autobiography
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