During the late 1800s and early 1900s there were many reforms taking place. There were social, civil, city, and even federal changes occurring. Although each of these reforms plays a pivotal time in history, a few seem to stand out. One was social reform of blacks, another women’s suffrage and lastly an attempt to thwart corruption by reforming how cities were managed. Booker T Washington was a major contributor to reform of blacks during this era. This man was a previous slave who wanted to help other former slaves by teaching trades and skills. Washington did not so much fight for rights or equality, but instead asked his followers to just obey a white dominated social structure. Washington was very influential and created a large following.
Signs of Progress Among the Negroes, by Booker T, Washington. The Century Magazine, January 1900. New York City, New York. 11 pages. Reviewed by Jozlyn Clark Booker T. Washington (April 5, 1856 – November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author and leader of the African American community.
Some significant reforms in the 1900s were the homes families and strangers lived in going from slums to nicer living conditions. For example living in an apartment that is meant for 1 maybe 2 adults has 10 to 15 adults living in it with a bathroom down the hall away from the rooms for people in other apartments to use as well, or when someone gets a sickness in the apartment and everyone in the whole building gets it because everything is contaminated from the person being sick. It went from that to a little bit bigger homes with lesser people and cleaner rooms and bathrooms. Upton Sinclairs was an activist because he took part in what he thought was right when it came to meet packaging and how it needs to be reformed and cleaned. And if
Although Booker T. Washington and W.E.B DuBois had opposing philosophies on ending racial and economic inequalities for African Americans, W.E.B Dubois emphasized the need for direct involvement in civil rights and political reform. His philosophies and strategies, in my opinion are what helped lead the road towards African Americans gaining their rights. Booker T. Washington ridiculed W.E.B Dubois’s strategy of fighting for their civil rights. Washington believed that the best way to obtain their rights is to prove to whites that African Americans can be productive members of society by means of “keeping their mouths shut, working, and saving, and buy a house.” Dubois refuted his philosophies by stating that there is no point in saving for
Booker T. Washington was the preeminent black educator in the late 19th, early 20th century, a major influence in topics such as southern race relations and was also the dominant figure in black public affairs. W.E.B. DuBois was the first African American to graduate from Harvard University with a Ph.D. He was also the best known spokesperson for African Americans and he founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) In 1909. Both Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois thought the social change was needed. They both also wanted education to be instrument that African Americans used to bring about this change and they both also wanted the African American community to prosper economically.
Regardless, they were able to aid in ending discrimination and received equal standing in education, labor, acquiring of land, etc.. If it had only been Du Bois fighting for equality, then he would have achieved the fight for equality sooner. On the contrary, Du Bois only provided one view to how African Americans were being treated; Washington had a friendlier approach. This may be due to his fear of being lynched or placing African Americans in a harsher situation than they already were. Washington seemed more methodical—he was thinking about African Americans having the full rights of the 14th and 15th amendments. At the same, he was also concerned about the consequences of his speech, and if it angered the whites more than it relieved the situation they were all facing.
Thomas Moss had a tremendous impact on blacks. Moss had achieved economic success by opening up people’s grocery, and that made him a threat to whites. Colored people were tried of seeing others getting beaten, murdered, and lynched. “Tell my people to go west there is no justice for them here” He said in many rivers to cross episode 4.
Washington promoted three main rights that his people should strive for, He believed in supporting economic rights, but also continuing to live segregated socially. He believed this would keep both the white and black society happy. He was against a higher, college level education, that Du Bois supported; instead, he promoted vocational education and the belief that African-Americans should try to conform to the ways that the white society lived. His opinion was that if his people would adapt to the white culture and be patient, their lives would eventually be much better. The rights Du Bois wanted for his people were the right to vote,
Washington just like many others had his up and down hill battles, but he learned to preserver. He was a slave owner. Even so, on his death bed, he still released his slaves in hopes that one day they would find
Booker T. Washington once said, “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.” W.E.B. Du Bois quoted, “The worker must work for the glory of his handiwork.” These are two quotes from two great leaders of the African American community in the late 19th and 20th Century. Although they were great leaders, they both had their own outlook on strategies regarding social and economic progress in the African American community.
Analysis of Leadership: Washington was a great leader who helped shape the country and set a standard for future leaders. He was respected for his integrity, honesty, and courage, and his leadership helped the country survive its early years. However, Washington also faced criticism, particularly for his treatment of Native Americans and his ownership of enslaved people. He was able to lead the country through difficult times, but it is important to acknowledge his flaws and understand that his actions have had lasting impacts. A lesser-known fact about Washington is that he spent a large majority of the time trying to keep the army together during the revolutionary
Two Great Men “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. ”- Thomas a. Edison Frederick Douglas and Booker T. Washington were both amazing civil rights activists. Frederick Douglas was a runaway slave who worked to end slavery.
Imagine being an African American during the Progressive Era and not having the same rights that other people have. Booker T. Washington was born to a slave in 1856 and his mother was a cook on a plantation, while his father was a unknown white man most likely from a nearby plantation. At a young age, Washington worked hard and was sometimes beaten if he did not do what he was supposed to. There was a schoolhouse near the plantation he worked at, and he saw children his age learning, but at the time it was illegal to teach slaves. At nine years old, Booker T. Washington went to work with his step father instead of going to school.
Achieving African American Equality Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Du Bois were two of the most influential advocates for African American equality during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries (Blatty, 1). Although both men ultimately had the same goal, their methods for achieving African American equality were remarkably different. To begin, the men had conflicting ideas about what constituted as African American equality. Booker T. Washington argued that the accumulation of wealth and the ability to prove that Blacks were productive members of society would be the mark of true equality for African Americans (Painter, 155).
W.E.B DuBois’ plan was smarter than Booker T. Washington’s because DuBois’ plan was to fight for the rights of African Americans, and give people a good and equal education. Booker T Washington’s plan was to ignore segregation and discrimination so he can just focus on the wealth and education of former slaves to win over the whites acceptance. One part of DuBois’ plan was the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP. This Association was one of the most influential civil rights organization. It “focused on legal strategies designed to confront the critical civil rights issues.”.
In the mid-to-late 1800s the African American community faced opposition and segregation. They were segregated from the whites and treated as second-class citizens. This segregation was caused in part by Jim Crow laws. Jim Crow laws separated races in schools, hospitals, parks, public buildings, and transportation systems. Both Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois had ideas on how to improve African American lives, Washington believed in starting at the bottom and working up whereas Du Bois had an opposing viewpoint he saw starting from the bottom as submissive and believed African Americans should hold important jobs in order to demand equal treatment.