Booker T Dubois Research Paper

Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois were extremely different people who had extremely different ideas on how to best tackle racism in America. Booker T. Washington preferred the passive approach, and often told African Americans that they were responsible for amending racism. In his Atlanta Compromise Speech, Booker T. stated “Our greatest danger is that in the great leap from slavery to freedom we may overlook the fact that the masses of us are to live by the productions of our hands, and fail to keep in mind that we shall prosper in proportion as we learn to dignify and glorify common labour, and put brains and skill into the common occupations of life… 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.” As Booker T. stated later in his Atlanta Compromise speech, “The wisest among my race understand that the agitation of questions of social equality is the extremest folly, and that progress in the enjoyment of all the privileges that will come to us must be the result of severe and constant struggle rather than of artificial forcing… It is important and right that all privileges of the law be ours, but it is vastly more important that we be prepared for the exercise of these privileges. The opportunity to earn a dollar in a factory just now is

When it all comes down to it, one of the greatest intellectual battles U.S. history was the legendary disagreement between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois. This intellectual debate sparked the interest of the Northerners as well as the racist whites that occupied the south. This debate was simply about how the blacks, who just gained freedom from slavery, should exist in America with the white majority. Even though Washington and DuBois stood on opposite sides of the fence they both agreed on one thing, that it was a time for a change in the treatment of African Americans. I chose his topic to write about because I strongly agree with both of the men’s ideas but there is some things about their views that I don’t agree with. Their

In conclusion, the debate between W.E.B Dubois and Washington was nothing short of remarkable and genius. Although both men had two separate ways about doing things they both shared the same common goal, which was bettering the lives of African Americans. In my opinion, W.E.B Dubois plan to go strongly for African American rights and equality was the better strategy. Not only did he help bring us together but he gave blacks a sense of self confidence that they didn’t possess before. For once blacks believed not only can you be as good as the white man but better. While some may agree that Mr. Washington’s plan to endure the second citizenship title was only degrading and keeping the black man down. Although Washington had honorable goals Dubois gave the people a strong sense of empowerment and worthiness that has helped the black race grows into what it is today.

Booker T. Washington believed that blacks should not push to attain equal civil and political rights with whites. That it was best to concentrate on improving their economic skills and the quality of their character. The burden of improvement resting squarely on the shoulders of the black man. Eventually they would earn the respect and love of the white man, and civil and political rights would be accrued as a matter of course. This was a very non-threatening and popular idea with a lot of whites.

When it all comes down to it, one of the greatest intellectual battles U.S. history was the legendary disagreement between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois. This intellectual debate sparked the interest of the Northerners as well as the racist whites that occupied the south. This debate was simply about how the blacks, who just gained freedom from slavery, should exist in America with the white majority. Even though Washington and DuBois stood on opposite sides of the fence they both agreed on one thing, that it was a time for a change in the treatment of African Americans. I chose his topic to write about because I strongly agree with both of the men’s ideas but there is some things about their views that I don’t agree with. Their

W. E. B. Du Bois and Booker T Washington had very different views about their culture and country. Du Bois, being born in the North and studying in Europe, was fascinated with the idea of Socialism and Communism. Booker T Washington, on the other hand, was born in the South, and like so many others, had a Black mother and a White father. Thus being born half-white, his views and ideas were sometimes not in the best interest of his people.

Two men with the same goals but different views on how they should be achieved is exactly how Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois’ controversy should be described as. Their debate revolved around the idea of abolishing slavery as well as paving the way for the modernized Civil Rights Act in America to take place. Washington and DuBois were born in the same time period with the same intentions, yet had different methods of approaching how to do them. Both of their ideas were focused on how America could be best improved for the future in political, social and educational ways. Booker T. Washington’s perspective and ideologies were better than DuBois’ for

W.E.B. DuBois was a very strong advocate for black people being treated equally to white people. He co-founded the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) Which was a very important part of the civil rights movement. The NAACP was “created to work for the abolition of segregation and discrimination in housing, education, employment, voting, and transportation; to oppose racism; and to ensure African Americans their constitutional rights”. He also created a book called “The Souls Of Black Folk” Which made him more popular, with the main Idea of the book being that the “central problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color line.” He was a man who fought for equality, where Booker T. Washington, on the other hand, did not. Booker T. Washington thought that black people should in fact have different rights then white people, and that instead of fighting it, black people should just accept it, and focus on economic self-improvement. He also believed that black people should not fight for equal rights, because it would lead to more anti-black violence, such as lynching which is the act of killing someone, most commonly by hanging, by mob action and without legal authority. By these facts you can tell that Washington and

W. E. B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington were both highly intelligent African American men who wrote about the disparities between the lives of whites and blacks in the United States during the nineteenth and into the twentieth centuries. Each man saw the way in which his fellow African Americans were being treated by the white majority and used their intelligence and persuasive skills to bring attention to this very serious issue. Both men fought for equality through nonviolent protest and the application of logical argument and reasoning in order to better their lives and those of their social and ethnic brothers. Despite their shared goal of racial and sociological equality, the two men had very different ideas about how equality would be achieved and about what the African American community should or ought to expect in terms of actually obtaining that equality.

Booker T. Washington on the other hand was thinking more realistically for his time. His plan consisted of African Americans sticking together, helping each other up the social and economic ladder in society. In Document D Booker T stated: “ ‘Cast down your bucket where you are.’ Cast it down among the eight million Negroes whose habits you know, whose fidelity and love you have tested in days when to have proved treacherous...” Here he is telling African Americans to stick together, be your brother support. Then later on he addresses the white people to cast their buckets on African Americans and trust them to work on their land to make money, to work in their

DuBois philosophies possessed a “fight for right’s mentality”. His view was that everyone has a “constitutional right” to freedom and equality. Du Bois took a forceful stance against Booker T. Washington's strategies of “working within the system”, calling instead for "ceaseless agitation and insistent demand for equality," and the "use of force of every

Over 100 years ago W.E.B DuBois and Booker T. Washington began a debate over strategies for black social and economic progress, which is still prevalent today. Booker T. Washington believed that the role of education for African Americans should be an industrial one, where as W.E.B DuBois wanted African Americans to become engaged in a Liberal Arts education.

However, Du Bois believed that people must fight for what they believe in and to never give up until the goal is met. In David Blatty’s article, “W. E. B. Du Bois, Booker T. Washington and the Origins of the Civil Rights Movement” he states, “In contrast to Washington, Du Bois maintained that education and civil rights were the only way to equality, and that conceding their pursuit would simply serve to reinforce the notion of blacks as second-class citizens.” This quote shows how Du Bois was very determined to reach his goal of ending color discrimination. In the article, “Difference between Booker T Washington and WEB Du Bois,” it states, “Political and social accommodation was a trademark of Booker T. Washington’s Atlanta Compromise. This speech included a pledge not to demand equal rights such as suffrage, racial integration, or liberal arts education.” This quote portrays how Booker T. Washington believed that it was crucial to approach color discrimination

They had different ideas on how to fix the problem that African-Americans faced while living in white America. The negro problem at the time resulted from the exclusion of the negro from the group life of American society. This problem was caused by the racial prejudice that the negro faced at the time, prejudice in all aspects of American life (cultural, socially, economically, and education). The two men saw that the only way to resolve this problem was by addressing them head on; so that African-Americans could later go on to integrate with their fellow American citizens and live regular lives. The debate split African-Americans on which vision to follow, the submissive and conservative of Washington or the aggressive and straight forward vision of Dubois. The importance of these two leaders to African-American history are unparallel. When analyzing the debate regarding the problem, I feel it is useful to examine the sides taken by each player regarding the economic, social, and political conditions facing the negro at the time and how they felt it could be improved for future generations. Through analysis a vision will be constructed using the two players arguments on what one may believe would be have made a perfect unison vision for the African-American race at the time.

Two of the most influential people in shaping the social and political agenda of African Americans were Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Dubois, both early twentieth century writers. While many of their goals were the same, the two men approached the problems facing African Americans in very different ways. This page is designed to show how these two distinct thinkers and writers shaped one movement, as well as political debate for years afterward.