The Voice of Change Throughout the nineteenth century, the African American social and economic life in the United States and parts of western Europe were revolutionized. A period to attain vast racial equality was quickly developed. Du Bois’ various ideas and activism was a key part to sparking the Civil Rights Movement. Du Bois used his journalistic writing to condemn the increased repression of formerly enslaved African Americans in the South in the form of legalized segregation and the rise of lynching. Du Bois believed in the promotion of political action and higher education for African Americans, but not that of industrial education. Du Bois did not view the use of science to be competent to explain racial characteristics. All these …show more content…
Washington, a former slave, and his ideals of industrial education. Washington argued that African Americans had to concentrate on educating themselves, learning useful trades, and investing in their own businesses. He believed hard work, economic progress, and merit would prove to whites the value of blacks to the American economy. Washington believed that his vision for black people would eventually at the end lead to equal political and civil rights. According to Washington, racial equality could be developed by hard work. Du Bois’ views contradicted Washington’s ideals because he believed in higher education, but did not agree with Washington’s idea that African Americans had to work for economic equality to be accepted socially. He outright said that he wanted equal rights and that African Americans had to fight and protest to achieve them, even if it seemed radical. Du Bois, along with others, thought that African Americans should be given the right to vote, which was very important for future political and social advancements. Washington and DuBois, both in pursuit of racial equality, had different ideas on how to reach it. Washington believed in economic equality, then political and social equality. While it was important to build economic stability within the African American community, voting rights were necessary to achieve political and social equality, and
Click here to unlock this and over one million essays
Show MoreWashington and W.E.B. Du Bois. Prior to the riot, African Americans had listened to Washington’s advice. Washington believed that African Americans should be sublevel to whites and focus all their time working diligently and progressing in blue-collar society. This would allow whites to feel supreme, but also allow African Americans to make something of themselves and provide for their families. Washington wanted blacks to be educationally ready for the argument of equality.
He says that "It is at the bottom of life we must begin, and not at the top. Nor should we permit our grievances to overshadow our opportunities" (Washington). Because of Washington's acceptance of inferiority of his race, at the time, economically, he again appeals to the white audience in front of his speech, at the African American expo. He almost apologizes for how low the blacks are starting by saying "Gentlemen of the Exposition, as we present to you our humble effort at an exhibition of our progress, you must not expect overmuch" (Washington). This puts the pressure of equality on the black community, and takes pressure off the white community.
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).
DuBois’s first post-dissertation book, The Philadelphia Negro, released in 1899, determined that housing and employment discrimination were the principal barriers to racial equality and black prosperity in the urban North. (blackpast.org/aah/dubois-william-edward-burghardt-1868-1963) In his written book, The Souls of Black Folks, released in 1903, he argued for "manly" and "ceaseless agitation and insistent demand for equality” which demanded a education of equality for blacks that’s not inferior to whites. (W. E. B. Du Bois and the NAACP, Virginia Historical Society) Du Bois promoted the idea of self improvement, without giving up full citizenship rights, which impacted the general well being of African American and visualized the idea of having an exclusive group of all black, educated leaders called “The
In the analysis of the abundance of wonderful leaders who made a difference in the African American community since emancipation, W.E.B Du Bois made a special impact to advance the world. From founding the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, to his influential book The Souls of Black Folk, he always found an accurate yet abstract way of verbalizing the strives of African Americans as well as making platforms for them to be known. Although he had less power than most of the bigger named African American leaders of his time, W.E.B Dubois’ overweighing strengths verses weaknesses, accurate and creative analogies, leadership style, and the successful foundations he stood for demonstrates his ability to be both realistic and accurate in his assessment since emancipation. Though Du Bois did have a beneficial impact
Thesis statement: The two great leaders in the black community debating about the issues that face the Negro race and Du Bois gave a compelling argument by using pathos, logos and ethos to create an essay that will appear to all readers. Outline: This essay will showcase the contradicting philosophies between W.E.B Du Bois and Booker T. Washington. Also, paying close attention to the different types of leadership between the two historic leaders in the black community. Both W.E.B Du Bois and Booker T. Washington contributed to and helped shape the future of African Americans.
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.
However Booker T. Washington believed in having a more skillful education, consisting of learning how to trade, mastering agriculture skills and more things one would need to get a job. However, W.E.B DuBois also put many efforts to achieve equal rights towards African Americans which Booker T Washington put on hold. Booker T Washington’s plan was to make it so that “Blacks would [have to] accept segregation and discrimination but their eventual acquisition of wealth and culture would gradually win for them the respect and acceptance of whites”. This vision that Booker T Washington had “practically accepts the alleged inferiority of the Negro race”. W.E.B commented on this process saying it was an attempt, “to educate black boys and girls simply as servants and underlings.”
Du Bois believes that Washington exhibits an old attitude of submission. Whereas Washington sees starting from the bottom as necessary and beneficial Du Bois sees it as submissive and harmful towards the progression of equality. Both Du Bois and Washington believed that their viewpoint was going to lead to more equal treatment and overall improved quality of life for African Americans. 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
He believed that African American economic gains were not secure unless there was political power to safeguard them. “I think, though, that the opportunity to freely exercise such political rights will not come in any large degree through outside or artificial forcing…" (Washington 234). They both believed in equality. Although one believed in used force and military movements the other used writing to reach his audience. While there were many points of contention between Washington and DuBois, there were similarities in their philosophies as well.
Though both Washington and Du Bios were both born in the same era, it was their differences in background and technique that had the greatest impact on the future. I believe that Booker T. Washington’s views better suited to the historical conditions and attitudes of the times than W.E.B. Du Bios because Washington had first hand experience with slavery,
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.
He believed that things would never truly be equal due to the color line, or as he referred to it, “the veil”. Despite American’s efforts to assist slaves in the transition to a free black American citizen, they just did not feel accepted. The Freedmen’s Bureau was set up in hopes that this would ease the transition but it didn’t help. This relates back to “the veil” the Du Bois refers to. The veil represents the African American’s feelings of inequality and inability to mesh with the white American citizens.
He founded organizations like the National Negro Business League to promote the commercial and financial development of the Negro. But political leaders like W.E.B Dubois, did not agree with Washington’s philosophy. Dubois believed that social change could be accomplished by developing the small group of college-educated blacks he called "the Talented
To this, Du Bois responded civil liberties, education, and equal opportunities were detrimental to anyone’s advancement in