Booker T Washington Booker T Washington was born a slave April 15, 1856. His mother was a plantation cook. Booker’s father was an unknown white man. Booker and his mother lived in Franklin County, VA. As a slave child Booker gave water to the saves that worked in the field. After the American Civil War Booker and the other slaves were freed. Booker and his mother, than moved to Malden, W. VA. Booker’s mother married after Ferguson Washington. Booker was the first African American to appear on an U.S. postage stamp. He also became the first person to have his image on the 50-