His acclaimed autobiography, Up from Slavery, was written with a ghostwriter's assistance.

Booker T. Washington employed Edgar Webber as a ghostwriter for his autobiography, The Story of My Life and Work, which was released in 1900. Despite the book's successful sales, Washington was not at all happy with the writing, describing it as flat and poorly edited. Later, he enlisted the aid of renowned author Max Thrasher to help him put together a second autobiography titled Up from Slavery, which was released the following year.

Washington chronicles his transformation from slave to instructor in Up from Slavery. He directly attributes his success as a man of action in his community and country to his education in the early sections of the book, which also detail his childhood as a slave and his attempts to get a higher education. Washington describes how he went from being a student to becoming a teacher, as well as his growth as a teacher and the creator of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. He recounts the development of Tuskegee, from classes held in a slum to campus with numerous new buildings. Washington outlines his work as a public speaker and civil rights activist in the last chapters of Up From Slavery. His book comes to a close with a description of the awards and accolades he has won for his efforts, including a Harvard honorary degree and two key trips to Tuskegee by President McKinley and General Samuel C. Armstrong.

The African-American community was significantly impacted by Up from Slavery, which went on to become a bestseller. In addition, it was listed among the top 100 books of the 20th century by the Modern Library.