If the second volume measures up to the first, Harlan's biography of Booker T. Washington will be the best study we have of a black American. It already sets a standard unmatched for the penetration of obscure origins and elaborate myths.–C. Vann Woodward,
The New RepublicA model biography, superbly researched and written, and hauntingly evocative of the flawed man and his bitter times...[S]ure to [be] the last word on this stage of Washington's career for many years to come.–
History: Reviews of New BooksWill stand as one of the significant American biographies of this generation. Harlan's style is easy and readable, his knowledge of the subject profound, his research seemingly exhaustive.–
Journal of Southern History
