Dubois v. Washington Debates Essay

This higher power represented by Dubois was the white population. Even after emancipation, the slaves were still captive. They worked only for a place to live and food to eat because they had no money to enter the world as working men in business or in anything other than their learned skill of farming and raising the household. Similarly, Dubois lives in a generation where the black man is free, yet he is still segregated in nearly everything he does. He claims how “The Nation has not yet found peace from its sins; the freedman has not yet found in freedom his promised land”(8). By writing this, he claims how America is still not perfect, yet no matter how far they have come, “the shadow of a deep disappointment rests upon the Negro people”(8). His

Booker T. Washington is one of the most respected and influential African American figures in American history, Mr. Washington was born into slavery and was freed by the Emancipation Proclamation. His peaceful personality along with his exceptional education in many different studies turned him into a well-rounded individual. Washington wanted blacks and whites to become partners and strive for both races to succeed. He delivered his most famous speech in 1895 known as the “Atlanta Compromise”. In Atlanta Georgia, Mr. Washington expresses himself with exceptional rhetoric and tone throughout his speech. He states that African Americans should take benefit of what they know and endeavor

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.

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

During a time period when slavery had finally come to an end, African Americans still struggled as their opportunities for equality were next to nonexistent. In this time of hardship and unfair treatment, not many of those facing these adversities had the courage to speak out on their beliefs for change; Booker T. Washington and WEB Dubois, however, did not possess such fears — both thoroughly articulated their opinions and stood for what they believed was right. Booker T. Washington and WEB Dubois shared a few commonalities — both men were highly educated, for example, as well as they both expressed strong opposition against segregation. Washington’s Up from Slavery: An Autobiography and Dubois’

The “Atlanta Compromise” by Booker T Washington was written when the racial tension was very high between the southern whites and African American blacks. The key points of the report as noted by Booker T. Washington was to reach an agreement for better relationships between the two ethnicities without any further discrimination or harm. The goal was to promote peace and harmony among the two ethnicities involved. The application of the compromise between Booker T. Washington and the Southern whites didn’t last long however before criticism arose (Washington 586). W.E.B DuBois then pointed out a definitive criticism of the “Atlanta Compromise,” labeling it as not only socially separating but also demeaning to the human civil rights.

W.E.B. DuBois, a black intellectual believed that Washington's strategy would only serve to perpetuate white oppression. DuBois initially advocated for Washington's strategy, however he grew to find it unacceptable as he became more outspoken about racial injustice. DuBois campaigned for a civil rights agenda and argued that educated blacks could accomplish social change. With the belief that African Americans should work together to battle inequality DuBois helped found the NAACP. DuBois was not content with attempting to gain an economic foothold; he wanted absolute equality in all aspects of life. DuBois believed that Washington "devalued the study of liberal arts, and ignored the economic exploitation of the black masses. He believed that "The Negro Race, like all races, is going to be saved by its exceptional men. The problem of education then, among Negroes, must first of all deal with the ‘Talented Tenth.' [which] is the problem of developing the best of this race that they may guide the Mass away from the contamination and death of the worst." He believed that the economic and political issues facing African Americans could be solved if the most talented ten

The stark differences between Booker T Washington and W.E.B. DuBois and their approaches to racism

Both W.E.B Du Bois and Booker T. Washington were prominent figures in the advancement of African Americans during the 19th and 20th centuries. The facade of unity among these leaders was broken when Du Bois addressed Washington’s book, Up From Slavery, in a chapter named “Of Booker T. Washington and Others” from his novel, The Souls of Black Folk. Although he did acknowledge the accomplishments of Washington, Du Bois was clearly opposed to most of his ideas. Through the topics of submission and education, Du Bois exposes the paradoxical nature of Washington’s plan and presents a stronger argument than the passive Washington.

However they were all of the opinion that whilst others might free the body of blacks from being used as slaves, it is black people’s responsibility to free themselves from their mind. Washington advised black people to remain in the South and try by all means to avoid politics, instead they should protest in favor of industrial education (). But after a while many authors argued against his vision as they saw him as a selfish politician who had too much power but used it for his own advantage (). Although there were differences between Washington and DuBois visions there were also similarities as they both blamed African Americans for being poor and inferior, they emphasized on self-help and moral improvement rather than on rights. Moreover, DuBois challenged Washington’s program when the final emphasis on industrial education drew resources away from black liberal arts education and he saw that as an injustice (). He saw Washington’s approach as an attempt to educate African Americans to be servants and inferiors. He demanded for all black citizens’ the civic equity, education of black youth according to ability, and the right to vote

Booker T. Washington was one of the most well-known African American educators of all time. Lessons from his life recordings and novelistic writings are still being talked and learned about today. His ideas of the accommodation of the Negro people and the instillation of a good work ethic into every student are opposed, though, by some well-known critics of both past and current times. They state their cases by claiming the Negro’s should not have stayed quiet and worked their way to wear they did, they should have demanded equal treatment from the southern whites and claimed what was previously promised to them. Also, they state that Washington did not really care about equality or respect, but about a status boost in his own life. Both

In Chapter three of The Souls of Black Folk, W.E.B Du Bois discusses Booker T. Washington and some of his accomplishments for African Americans and also criticizes some of his lack of understanding in his propaganda that he could have done more in his position to progress African Americans status instead of trying to be accepted by the white community. Washington has been criticized by Du Bois because of his “submission” to the white view on African Americans and their rights Du Bois calling him “the most distinguished Southerner since Jefferson Davis” (Du Bois, 1903).

While Booker T. Washington views the Negro plight as a “racial uplift” is what W.E.B. Du Bois considered to be out of this world because the latter realizes that the former’s ideas was more conciliatory in nature rather than for the best interests of the Black population in America. The strong disagreements of Du Bois with most of Washington’s opinions are more defined in this essay where the Du Bois heavily criticized Washington’s stance about civil rights issues. rivalry continued to spark interest among other Negro leaders who believe that both have their own right to express how they see

During the early 1900’s racism towards African Americans was extremely prominent; lynching’s and beatings were a common occurrence among African Americans, they were denied access to most mainstream necessary services or segregated from others to alternatives that were far inferior in comparison to their white counterparts. During this time two revolutionary activist by the names of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Dubois emerged in an attempt to lessen segregating in the United States and help improve the lives of African Americans. Their approaches to the subject differed a great deal in that Booker T. Washington advocated for self-help and urged African Americans to tolerate racism for the time being and to work on improving themselves through education and eventually their hard work will pay off and whites will no longer see them as outsiders and they will eventually gain their acceptance, in contrast, W.E.B Dubois believed African Americans needed to demand their rights and not wait for whites to change their mind about them. Their approaches were seen as conservative and radical, African American were divided among this two groups, having Booker T. Washington be supported by White Americans as well.

Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. DuBois paved the pursuit for equality within the American society. Their bravery of leading those of color towards equality sparked the Civil Rights Movement, a triumph. Washington was an advocate of slowly assimilating into the white society by proving to be worthy. Washington wanted to gain economic independence through acts of peace and acceptance instead of fighting. He projected, “Cast down your bucket where you are - Cast it down in making friends … of the people of all races” (pg. 58). In his speech, Washington approached the whites in a calm manner asking for acceptance and compromise. He wanted whites to support the uprising of a multicolored society. Washington represented his principles of progression through a metaphor, “In all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress” (pg. 60). DuBois believed, “Political power, insistence on civil rights, and higher education of Negro youth,” were the only ways towards equality (pg. 63). Even though Washington’s approach to inequality was admirable, DuBois favored