Comparison of Booker T. Washington's "Up from Slavery" and Web Dubois' "The Souls of Black Folk"

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

The debate between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Dubois turned out to be one of the greatest intellectual as well as inspiring battles in our United States history. This great debate sparked the interest of African Americans and whites throughout the entire country. Both men had distinct views on how blacks should go about progressing politically, socially, as well as financially here in the United States. Both Du Bois and Washington wanted African-Americans to have the same rights as white Americans; But Du Bois encouraged African-Americans to demand equal rights, while Washington, on the other hand, often ignored discrimination. He believed that it was important for blacks to develop

Washington is remembered chiefly for this “Atlanta Compromise” address. In this speech, he called on white America to provide jobs and industrial-agricultural education for Negroes. In exchange,

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.

The struggle for equality and the battle to have one’s suppressed voice be heard is prevalent throughout the history of the United States. The Native Americans, women, and even Catholics have all encountered discrimination and belittlement in one shape or form, which eventually urged individuals within those groups to rise up and demand equal opportunity. As the United States began to shift away from slavery, one of the most deep rooted, controversial dilemmas aroused- what do black people need to do in order to gain civil rights both economically and socially? Booker T. Washington’s “Atlanta Exposition Address” and W.E.B. Du Bois's “The Soul of Black Folks” were pieces of writings influenced by the puzzle that black people were left to solve. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Du Bois had contrasting ideas, but they both contributed a piece to the puzzle in hopes of solving the never ending mind game.

W.E.B. Dubois was the rivaling civil rights leader during the early 20th century. W.E.B. Dubois believed that through political action and education, full-citizenship of African Americans in America would be achieved. At first, he agreed with Booker T. Washington’s teachings, however through time Dubois realized flaws within Washington’s ideas. Dubois, in “Soul of Black Folk” writes, “The black men of America have a duty to perform, a duty stern and delicate, -- a forward movement to oppose a part of the work of their greatest leader. So far as Mr. Washington peaches

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 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 was known as the premier of black activist. His theory for the African American progression or “racial uplift” was that African American’s would remain without objections and silence themselves regarding the issues of disenfranchisement and social segregation if whites supported the black progression in education, economics, and agriculture.

Booker T Washington wrote the passage, A Protest Against the Burning and Lynching of Negroes. uses rhetorical techniques such as ethos, pathos and logos to persuade the reader to help stop the burnings and lynching of negroes. First, Washington uses ethos to persuade the reader. This can be seen when Washington writes, “I have always been among those who condemned in the strongest terms crimes of whatever character committed by members of my race”(Washington). Booker T. Washington uses this quote to show how credible he is.

When looking at the importance of Booker T. Washington’s life, his accomplishments must be acknowledged. He started by making a way for himself to become more educated. Without education, he may have never been placed in a position in society able to share his philosophy. Washington can also be credited for having a philosophy that was not only accepted by African Americans, but White people as well. The construction and development of Tuskegee into a thriving institution for African Americans can also be named as one of his accomplishments (Washington 447). It wasn’t until Washington gave his Atlanta Exposition/ Compromise speech in 1895, that he became a national icon (Washington 447). Enclosed in his speech was a message which “argued that African Americans should defer the quest for equal rights in return for low-level economic opportunities” (Washington 447). This speech was his greatest accomplishment because it thrusted him into the national spot light. Washington went on to help with organizing protests, and offer his support to civil rights groups. Though he was applauded by many for his speech, others condemned him for it because it looked as though Washington was trying to appease White people. It is also noted that “Washington’s words in speeches have been misinterpreted as more conservative than Washington intended and that his more radical statements about racial injustice have been overlooked” (Bishop). Words are misinterpreted on a daily basis but

Booker T. Washington is considered as one of the most influential speakers of the late 19th century speaking under the “Black American Society’s” banner. One of his most famous speeches was known as “The Atlanta Compromise Address”. This is where he was able to explain his beliefs that the African Americans should make best of their surroundings to make best of to be able to excel and succeed. He also addressed the whites by saying they should also make use of their surroundings. His main goal in this speech was to encourage a common rally between the whites and the blacks to “rally under the same flag”. The impact of “The Atlanta Compromise” was so powerful because of the way he maintained his appeal to ethos and used tone, repetition and even reasoning to further support his beliefs.

Booker T. Washington’s Up From Slavery is an autobiography which follows the life of a young, black slave and his rise in both financial and political status. Throughout the novel, Washington is sure to emphasize the optimistic worldview he holds during his rise in society. However, another popular black influencer at the time known as W.E.B. DuBois publishes an essay in which he holds a completely contrasted view towards Washington’s program as a whole. Despite the abundant harsh critique, Dubois continued to applaud Washington in his attempts to lead the black society into independence.

Booker T. Washington was born a slave in Franklin County, Virginia, in 1856 and was a social advocate for the industrial education of Blacks after slavery, which he thought that it would lead to economic change in Black communities and bring them upward mobility in America. In one of Washington’s most famous autobiographies Up From Slavery, he tells his life story of when he was educated in Hampton University and when he was a teacher at Tuskegee. In this document analysis of Booker T. Washington’s autobiography Up From Slavery, Washington experiences the obstacles Blacks have at receiving an education like the poverty they face in their communities and the inefficient resources to build schools, which leads to his ideology of advocating for an industrial education for Blacks because he believes that an industrial education will free Blacks from poverty in the United States.