Civilized Blacks: Free American Negroes in the 1870’s Whose Lives Paralleled the Life of Booker T. Washington is a work of creative historical fiction designed to illuminate a commonly ignored segment of the African-American experience. Drawing on the life and work of Booker T. Washington, author Carol Binta has portrayed the trials and achievements, as well as the daily lives, of the Black American elite culture of the period. With an engaging and realistic cast of characters, she portrays accurate social structures and customs while drawing the reader into the tale she has created. Particularly striking is the emphasis on Washington’s affirming attitude toward women. Both entertaining and enlightening, Civilized Blacks: Free American Negroes in the 1870’s Whose Lives Paralleled the Life of Booker T. Washington offers a new perspective on this often forgotten portion of history.