"Banks was probably the most important African American in the state where it was hardest to be black at the turn of the century. . . . [Jackson] challenges the familiar portrayal of the Tuskegee influence as ruthless, conniving, and intolerant of disagreement."--Journal of American History
"Born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Banks rose to become a retail merchant, bank founder, mill owner, and a founder and leading citizen of the all-black town of Mound Bayou, Mississippi. . . . A valuable addition to the literature on the 'Wizard of Tuskegee' and those who adhered to his philosophy."--Journal of Southern History
"With Banks always as its central focus, this work provides rich insight into how Booker Washington obtained and used his influence and reveals much about the inner workings of the Tuskegee Machine."--Alabama Review
"Jackson provides an invaluable snapshot of a time just before strategies of accommodation proved desperately inadequate."--H-Education
Charles Banks (1873-1923) was a key member of the so-called Tuskegee Machine, a national network of 'lieutenants' who served as Booker T. Washington's eyes and ears at the state and local levels.
