W. E. B Dubois Analysis

W.E.B. Dubois The great African American intellectual W.E.B. Dubois was born in the post-Civil War era. Being born at this time encouraged him to fight for equal rights for blacks. At this time, blacks were still suppressed very greatly. Dubois, having had lived in an all black community, experienced racism first-hand in the North (Donalson, 558).

washington knew that blacks would never be equal to the whites. DuBois wrote a book called, "We want to be Americans, full-fledged Americans, with all the rights of American citizens." DuBois also criticized Washington's Tuskegee approach as an attempt "to educate black boys and girls simply as servants and underlings." DuBois had become the leading black figure in the United States. Dubois encouraged African-Americans to work hard, regardless of their careers. 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. Washington, on the other hand, often ignored discrimination. He believed that it was important for blacks to develop good relationships with whites. He was afraid that blacks who demanded equal rights would create ill will between themselves and white Americans. Washington said to an all white audience that "In all things social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress." That quote meant that blacks and whites can all do the same things. In conclusion, Booker T. Washington focused on having education for real life jobs and not asking for equality from the

First, one could look at the contention of civil rights. Du Bois feels that Washington wants African Americans to give up their civil rights and he does not agree with this at all. Washington feels that African Americans should be friends with the same people that oppressed them. Washington says, “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.” (573). One can see that Washington feels

Dubois said, “Mr. Washington distinctly asks that black people give up, at least for the present, three things, --First, political power, second, insistence on civil rights, third, higher education of Negro youth, and concentrate all their energies on industrial education, and accumulation of wealth, and the conciliation of the South.” Washington believed that the blacks could not move forward without giving up political power, civil rights, and higher education. He thought they had to give up those ideas for now and focus on wealth, industrial education and be friendly with the south. He thought once these objects were accomplished then the blacks could obtain the freedom and rights they wanted. Therefore, he felt that for now the color-line was ok because blacks needed to first earn their rights before they were handed over to them.

To me it is obvious why many whites agreed with Washington and many blacks disagreed with him. I agree with Washington by not demanding our rights because making demands would be met with opposition and nothing will be done that is necessary to bring blacks up to the equality line. On the contrary, I disagree with the way that Washington believed that blacks should just ignore how whites treated us with violence then turn around and try to earn their respect. African Americans during this time wasn’t trying to hear this because just 3 years before his speech in Atlanta, 156 blacks were lynched in one year alone. To the blacks of that time, forgetting that

3.) According to DuBois, “the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line.” Using several representative examples, consider how American writers (of any color) since the Civil War have addressed this problem.

DuBois’ and Washington’s ideas differentiate in a couple of ways. DuBois stressed that the only ways to reach equality were through intellectual views, education and civil rights. Washington believed equality could be obtained through economic independence and being a productive member of the society he lived in. DuBois strongly disagreed with Washington mainly because of Washington’s idea to put off the discrimination issues. Washington’s “Atlanta Compromise” speech was to advocate African American people’s agricultural and practical skills. DuBois felt these skills weren’t primarily important, since he had set his focus on intellectual views. Another difference between the two was DuBois demanded civil rights in the present, while Washington thought it was best to put them off for the time being. Washington had the accommodation for whites and African Americans to work together, yet DuBois wanted the talented African Americans to lead the struggle to secure civil rights. The greatest difference between them were their political views.

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

One of the primary differences between DuBois and Washington was in the ways they believed equality would be achieved. DuBois believed that political change was the first step in achieving equality. If the black populous worked on economy only then they would perpetuate the stereotypes that white people place upon them. By accepting racist and prejudicial viewpoints, the African American communities were affirming their inferiority to the white majority. Only through political equality, for example the right to vote, could men enact any real or meaningful social and

William Edward Burkhardt DuBois, whom we all know as W.E.B. DuBois; was a novelist, public speaker, poet, editor, author, leader, teacher, scholar, and romantic. He graduated from high school at the age of 16, and was selected as the valedictorian, being that he was the only black in his graduating class of 12. He was orphaned shortly after his graduation and was forced to fund his own college education. He was a pioneer in black political thoughts and known by many as a main figure in the history of African-American politics. W.E.B. DuBois attended Fisk University, where he was awarded a scholarship after he graduated high school. Fisk University was located in Nashville, Tennessee. While attending this University, this is where he saw

Dubois writings, unlike Washington’s writings survived aging and sounds modern. Both Dubois and Washington, however, wanted the best for their people, both were sincerely engaged in racial uplift, and therefore in the end neither was “right” or “wrong.” Indeed, Washington’s ideas fitted the era that he lived in and Dubois ideas the future.

Lastly, Du Bois and Washington's individual experiences are historical in the fight for black equality. The two men both lived very fulfilling lives dedicated to their life work of the black cause. Washington began his educational career at the age of 16 at the Hampton Institute while performing janitorial duties to pay his board. After graduating he returned back to West Virginia and taught adults and children. He then went away to study at the Wayland Seminary in Washington D.C. where upon his completion joined the staff at the Hampton Institute. Years later in 1881 he was asked to be the president of the Tuskegee Institution which promoted literacy among freed blacks. Here began the monument of his life work, for the rest of his days would be spent supporting the school. Then, the year 1895 marked a turning point in his life when he gave the Atlanta Compromise Address speech that would outline his beliefs for the rest of his days. Furthermore, in 1900 with help from T. Thomas Fortune the creation of the National Negro Business League happened with Washington the first president. He even accepts and invitation by Andrew Garrison to go to Europe and preach his words of wisdom. The book ends with a speech before a mixed crowd of black and white to the City Council of Richmond, Virginia, and Washington never feeling more hopeful for the African-American race. Like

The Crisis was a magazine that W.E.B DuBois created in 1910 and it was also the official magazine of the NAACP. DuBois was not only the founder of this magazine, but he was also the editor. The targeted audience of this magazine was the African American community. At this point in time a magazine that was ran by Black people and for Black people was unheard of. The purpose of this magazine was to shine light on who and what the Black community was, to create an outlet where Black scholars could share their work, and it was a source where Black people could get useful information (the information was tailored to the Black community’s needs) from trusted sources. The magazine became very influential, at its peak the magazine had 100,000 readers

WEB Du Bois provides a counter argument to the belief in the American dream, however. He argues that “when sticks and stones and beasts form the sole environment of a people, their attitude is largely one of determined opposition to and conquest of individuals” (541). Du Bois is arguing that men become oppressed because of an innate attitude that men possess, that in fact it is not their qualifications that determine whether or not they are successful, rather it is based on the preconceived

W.E.B Dubois was a biracial man born in Massachusetts during the late 1800’s. In addition to being a Civil Rights Activist and Sociologist, he was the first African American to acquire a Doctorate at the