建国前
1878年10月1日（清光绪四年九月六日）出生川沙镇内史第，早年父母双
亡。1887年随外祖父发蒙，接受传统教育。迫于生计，年未弱冠，即在家乡任塾师。1899年时在松江府以第一名取中秀才。1901年入南洋公学﹐选读外文科﹐受知于中文总教习蔡元培。1902年后又中江南乡试举人。1903年返乡兴办小学堂。期间，开始接触严复翻译的《天演论》等新学书籍。次年在乡办校，因鼓吹反清被逮捕，一度入狱，在江苏巡抚“就地正法”批文到达一小时，由基督教外籍牧师保出，逃亡日本，一年后事息归国，继续兴办学校。1905年参加同盟会。辛亥革命前，先后创办和主持广明小学和师范讲习所、浦东中学，在爱国学社、城东女学等新教育团体和学堂中任教，并参与发起江苏学务总会。辛亥革命后，任江苏都督府民政司总务科长兼教育科长，后任江苏省教育司长，全力以赴改革地方教育，全面规划建设了省立高、中等学校和县立小学，省教育会副会长，上海申报馆旅行记者。1908年与童世亨等共同创办浦东电气股份有限公司，为浦东最早的供电设施。1913年发表《学校教育采用实用主义之商榷》，提倡教育与学生生活、学校与社会实际相联系。1914年2月至1917年春，他以《申报》记者身份在安徽、江西、浙江、山东、北京、天津等地考察了五个月。随中国游美实业团体在美国考察了25个城市52座学校，广泛接触各界人士，尤注重考察美国的职业教育。
1915年4月，随农商部“游美实业团”赴美报聘，考察教育，撰写《旅美随笔》。黄炎培还到日本、菲律宾、南洋各地考察。每次考察均有记录，并结集出版。他认为办教育如同治病，知病源才能开好药方，做到对症下药。“外国考察，读方书也；国内考察，寻病源也。方书诚不可不读，而病所由来，其现象不一，执古方治今病，执彼方治此病，病曷能已。”所以，他都是从中国实际需要出发进行考察。1917年赴英国考察，同年5月6日，联络教育界、实业界知名人士在上海发起中华职业教育社。次年，创建中华职业学校。此后数十年时间的教育和社会活动主要通过中华职业教育社来展开。1921年被委任教育总长而不肯就职。曾参与起草1922年学制，进行乡村建设实验和筹办南京高等师范学校、河海工程专门学校筹备主任（现河海大学）、国立东南大学（现南京大学）、上海商科大学（现上海财经大学）、厦门大学等高校。1931年“九一八”事变后，黄炎培积极投入抗日救亡运动﹐创办《救国通讯》﹐宣传爱国主义﹔组织上海市民维持会（后改为上海地方协会）﹐支持淞沪会战。1941年，与张澜等人发起组织中国民主政治同盟，一度任主席。
（左图）为1945年7月1日毛泽东在延安宴请国民参政员饭桌上仅4菜1汤。
1945年又与胡厥文等人发起成立中国民主建国会。同年7月应邀访问延安。写成《延安归来》一书，如实介绍延安。
1946年在上海创办比乐中学，探索兼顾升学和就业双重准备的普通中学。至1949年前，先后又创办重庆中华职校、上海和重庆中华工商专校、南京女子职业传习所、镇江女子职校、四川灌县都江实用职校等。
建国后
新中国成立后，黄炎培破“不为官吏”的立身准则，欣然从政。1949年9月出席中国人民政治协商会议。中华人民共和国成立后﹐历任中央人民政府委员﹑政务院副总理兼轻工业部部长﹑全国人大副委员长﹑全国政协副主席﹐中国民主建国会中央委员会主任委员等职。1965年12月21日病逝于北京。骨灰安放于北京西郊八宝山革命公墓，夫人姚维钧的骨灰也安放于此。
曾创办有“人文图书馆”，1933年，筹建新馆，实业家叶鸿英捐款40万元，改名“鸿英图书馆”。收藏以社会科学、历史及关于近代史料为主。至1946年，藏有报纸136种、杂志3604种、图书5万余册。私人藏书丰富，古籍法帖珍品不少。所藏魏晋、唐、宋碑帖数种，名人书画等，毛泽东曾借过其收藏王羲之书法真迹。
黄炎培文章峭拔清健、傲岸不群。笔歌墨舞、酣畅淋漓。诗初学温、李，继复寝馈李、杜。思力沉厚，趣味隽永，章调铿锵。兴到落笔，虽语必工，富于著述。著作有《黄炎培考察教育日记》、《新大陆之教育》、《东南洋之新教育》、《中国商战失败史》（合作）、《中国教育史要》、《黄黄炎培考察教育日记海环游记》、《断肠集》、《蜀道》、《抗战以来》、《延安归来》、《学校教育采用实用主义之商榷》、《黄炎培教育考察日记》、《中华职业教育社宣言书》、《八十年来》、《南洋华侨教育商榷书》、《我之人生观与吾人从事职业教育之基本理论》、《中国关税史料》、《对外贸易史料》、《淞沪抗日史料》，诗集《断肠集》、《苞桑集初稿》、《红桑》等。家乡故居建有纪念馆。

著作有《黄炎培考察教育日记》、《新大陆之教育》、《东南洋之新教育》、《中国商战失败史》（合作）、《中国教育史要》、《黄海环游记》、《断肠集》、《蜀道》、《抗战以来》、《延安归来》、《学校教育采用实用主义之商榷》、 《黄炎培教育考察日记》 、《中华职业教育社宣言书》、《八十年来》、《南洋华侨教育商榷书》、《我之人生观与吾人从事职业教育之基本理论》、《中国关税史料》、《对外贸易史料》、《淞沪抗日史料》，诗集《断肠集》 、《苞桑集初稿》、《红桑》等。

故居
在上海浦东新区川沙镇兰芬堂74弄1号。原为江苏省川沙厅城王前街“内史第”，清咸丰九年（1859年）举人、内阁中书沈树镛的住宅。黄炎培故居在第三进内宅楼。占地面积306平方米，建筑面积480平方米，坐北朝南，两层砖木结构院落。“内史第“房屋因年久失修，现已大部拆除，仅存黄炎培故居内宅楼等少数房屋。
1991年3月川沙县政府拨款大修，10月竣工，11月6月举行黄炎培故居落成典礼和黄炎培铜像揭幕仪式。“黄炎培故居”匾额由陈云题写，故居内设黄炎培生平事迹展览，陈列有《黄炎培家谱》、《黄炎培日记》、《延安归来》等书籍，以及与毛泽东、刘少奇、周恩来、朱德等人来往信件等共270余件。黄炎培居住部分，按原状修复，并复原卧室、书房及楼下客堂等，其中部分家具系原物。
1992年5月27日对外开放。

Before the founding of
October 1, 1878 (four years of the Qing Dynasty in September 6th) was born in the town of Chuansha history, early parents
Dead. In 1887 with the grandfather fameng, accept the traditional education. Under the livelihood, not later, that any tutor at home. In 1899 the first scholar in Natori in Songjiang prefecture. In 1901 Nanyang, selected by foreign arts, known to Chinese President Cai Yuanpei. After 1902 in the southern provincial examinations examination. 1903 home to set up a small school. During his translation, began to contact the "tianyanlun" and other new books. The following year in rural schools, by advocating anti Qing was arrested once in jail, the governor of Jiangsu "." the approval of at least one hour, by the Foreign Minister Paul Christian, fled to Japan, a year after returning to set up the school information. In 1905 to participate in the alliance. Before the revolution, he founded and chaired the Guangming primary school and teachers training institute, Pudong middle school, taught in the patriotic society, East female science and other new educational groups and schools, and participated in the Jiangsu academic association. After the revolution of 1911, the Jiangsu civil affairs department chief and general doudufu education chief, he served as Jiangsu province director of education, to reform the local education, overall planning and construction of the provincial high and middle school and primary school, vice president of the provincial education, Shanghai declaration hall travel reporter. 1908 and Tong Shiheng jointly founded Pudong electric Limited by Share Ltd, Pudong's earliest power supply facilities. 1913 published "school education pragmatic discussion" to promote education and student life, school and social reality linked. February 1914 to spring of 1917, he declared the identity of reporters in Anhui, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Shandong, Beijing, Tianjin and other places visited the five months. With the Chinese tour American industrial group in the United States visited 25 cities in 52 schools, extensive contact with people from all walks of life, especially focus on the United States vocational education.
In April 1915, the Ministry of agriculture and commerce with the "travel industry group" to the United States to study education, eleven, writing "American Essays". Huang Yanpei went to Japan, Philippines, Southeast Asia study. Each visit were recorded and published. He believes that education is known to cause illness, do a good prescription, an antidote against the disease. "Foreign study, read books; domestic study and find the source also. Fang Shucheng can not read, and the origin of the disease, not a phenomenon, with this prescription treating disease, with Bifangzhi disease, disease and can have." Therefore, he is from the actual needs of China to investigate. 1917 visit to Britain, in the same year in May 6th, contact the education sector, industry celebrities in Shanghai launched the China Vocational Education agency. The following year, China Vocational school. After decades of education and social activities mainly through the Chinese vocational education agency to expand. 1921 was appointed chief of education and refused to take office. Has been involved in the drafting of the 1922 educational system, for rural construction experiment and preparing for the Nanjing higher normal school, Hohai engineering director of the preparatory school (now Hohai University), the Southeast University (now Nanjing University), Shanghai College of Commerce (now Shanghai University of Finance and Economics), Xiamen University and other colleges and universities. 1931 "918" after the incident, Huang Yanpei actively involved in the Anti Japanese national salvation movement, founded the "national salvation" communication, propaganda and patriotism; the people of Shanghai will maintain the organization (later renamed the Shanghai local association), to support the battle of shanghai. 1941, and Zhang Lan, who initiated the organization of China's democratic political alliance, once chairman.
(left) for the July 1, 1945 Mao Zedong dinner in Yanan councilors on the table only 4 dishes 1 soup.
1945 and Hu Juewen and others initiated the establishment of the China Democratic National Construction association. July was invited to visit Yanan. Written "Yanan return" a book, truthfully introduce Yanan.
Founded in 1946 in Shanghai than music secondary school, explore both secondary education and employment to prepare secondary schools. To 1949, Chongqing has also founded the Shanghai vocational school, and the Chongqing business college, Nanjing women's occupation of Taichung, Zhenjiang women's vocational school, vocational school and other practical Dujiang Sichuan guanxian.

After the founding of
After the founding of new China, Huang Yanpei broke the "not for officials" conduct standards, readily in politics. September 1949 Chinese people's Political Consultative conference. After the establishment of People's Republic of China, former member of the Central People's government, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Ministry of light industry, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, vice chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, China Democratic National Construction Association Central Committee Chairman and other staff. December 21, 1965 died in Beijing. The ashes placed in the western suburbs of Beijing Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery, lady Yao Weijun's ashes are placed in this.
He founded the "humanistic library", 1933, to build the new museum, industrialist Ye Hongying donated 400 thousand yuan, renamed the "Hong Ying library". Social science, history and modern historical materials. To 1946, possession of 136 newspapers, magazines, more than 5 books, more than 3604 copies. The private collection of books, ancient books which many treasures. In the Wei and Jin Dynasties, Tang and song from a number of celebrity calligraphy and painting, and Mao Zedong had borrowed the authentic calligraphy of Wang Xizhi.
Huang Yanpei, the proud and aloof Qiaoba Ching health. Characters, fully and delightfully. The poem beginner Wen and Li, Li, Du fed following complex sleep. Cimnet heavy, interesting and meaningful, sonorous tone. Xing to put pen to paper, although the language will work with writing. Book "Huang Yanpei diary", "new study education, education", "East", "the new Nanyang education China business failure history" (cooperation), "Chinese", "history of education to investigate the education training with the Yellow Sea", "diary to set", "Shu" heartbroken, "Anti Japanese war since the" return "," Yanan, "school education by pragmatism," comment on "Huang Yanpei diary", "Chinese education and occupation education society", "Declaration of eighty years", "overseas Chinese education", "my book about the outlook on life and our occupation education basic theory", "Chinese customs, historical" "foreign trade", "historical poetry" Songhu Japanese history ", set", "heartbroken bud sang", "red raspberry" draft set etc.. Home former home has a memorial hall.

Book "Huang Yanpei diary", "new study education, education", "East", "the new Nanyang education China business failure history" (cooperation), "history of education", "China Huang Haihuan travels", "Ji", "Shu" heartbroken "," Yanan ", since the return", "school education", the discussion of the pragmatism "Huang Yanpei diary", "Chinese education and occupation education society", "Declaration of eighty years", "overseas Chinese education", "my book about the outlook on life and our occupation education basic theory", "historical", "foreign Chinese tariff trade", "historical poetry" Songhu Japanese history ", set", "heartbroken bud sang", "red raspberry" draft set etc..
Former Residence
In Shanghai Pudong New Area Chuansha Zhen LAN Fentang Lane 74 No. 1. Jiangsu Province, Chuansha city hall was the king of the "history", the Qing Xianfeng nine years (1859), the cabinet in the Shuyong Shen Juren residential. The former residence of Huang Yanpei in the third floor neizhai. It covers an area of 306 square meters, construction area of 480 square meters, two storey brick Courtyard South. "The history of the article" housing because of disrepair, demolition has been big, only a few houses and other buildings of Huang Yanpei's former residence neizhai.
In March 1991, Chuansha county government overhaul, completed in October November, held in June, the former residence of Huang Yanpei inauguration ceremony and unveiling ceremony of Huang Yanpei. "Huang Yanpei house" plaque was written by Chen Yun, former residence of Huang Yanpei life exhibition, display of "Huang Yanpei" genealogy, "Diary of Huang Yanpei", "Yanan return" and other books, and Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoji, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, et al. A total of more than 270 pieces of correspondence. Huang Yanpei lived, according to the original repair and restoration of the bedroom, study and living room downstairs, the original part of the furniture department.
Opening to the outside world in May 27, 1992.