Booker T. Washington and W.E.B DuBois have been prominent figures of Black history since the beginning of their careers. Both men are known for attending to issues of their community, as well as leaving a permanent mark on the question as to how Blacks should achieve equality in America. Although both of them fought for a common cause, each of them approached the question differently. Washington endorsed a slow process of independence which focused more on economic issues while DuBois strived for a much broader spectrum of freedom, insisting on full civil rights in all areas. One could even say that their different points of view on the subject divided the Black community into two different camps. After reviewing the life and the work of both men one can come to the conclusion that W.E.B DuBois, although the more radical, and the less preferred of the two, made contributions far more significant to the advancement of Black people than Booker T. …show more content…
Born into a high class family, he was able to experience freedom in a way that many other Blacks did not. Once his father ran out of money they moved in with his mother’s family, although their economic standing was not as high as that of his paternal family, his maternal side, the Burghardt, occupied a position of respect within their community . Throughout his childhood he worked in order to support his family, and even more so when his mother could no longer work due to a stroke. Du Bois’ worked had the opportunity to attend an integrated school which allowed him to compete with Whites academically without fear. This open and free environment in which DuBois lived allowed him to expand his horizons much more than Washington was allowed to. His experience being free both legally and academically speaking contributed to the manner in which he handled issues of race throughout his
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
Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Dubois were two famous African American leaders during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They were both activists and wanted blacks to have an education; they also wanted to end discrimination towards blacks. These leaders both wrote great speeches which clearly specified what they thought was right for African Americans. Even though Washington and Dubois focused on the same social, political and economic issues, they strongly disagreed on strategies of achieving their goal of equality.
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 and W.E.B DuBois were both two great leaders in the black community around their time. They disagreed with things such as the plans for African American economic and social advancements. With disagreements taking place, Washington and DuBois took opposite sides in the education debates.
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
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
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
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, African Americans faced difficult circumstances. There were groups like the KKK, who made African American’s life very difficult. Even though slavery was abolished, slaves weren't truly free. They faced harsh discrimination and they struggled to find jobs. Some of them found them selves back at the hands of their former masters, working for them because they could not find a job. African Americans didn't have equal rights and they were not allowed to do do many things in society, like voting. The freedom they received, was the type of freedom they were expecting. Life after slavery was very difficult for African Americans. Booker T. Washington and WEB Dubois offered different solutions to the difficult situation the African
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.
One of the most philosophical and literary arguments of all time was between two prominent and powerful men representing the same race. Despite these two great men’s literary talents in reading and in writing; they had many differences with how the African-American man should live: socially, economically, and politically. Booker T. Washington and W.E. Dubois had different perspectives on how the African-American should thrive and function in society; However, DuBois’s approach of resilience reaches out to many more African-Americans politically, economically, and socially because DuBois believed it was the time for change.
Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. DuBois were black leaders who held similar ideals. They both believed that whites should eventually recognize blacks as their equals and give them rights such as suffrage and economic freedom. They also acknowledged that because of their lack of education and prosperity, blacks were at a disadvantage to whites. Therefore, as DuBois wrote in his Souls of Black Folk, whites needed to “arouse and encourage” blacks for them to be successful. However, they disagreed on how blacks should attain this success. Washington believed that blacks should flatter whites, act inferior, and appeal purely to whites’ self-interest. The best way to do this was to campaign for economic freedom and industrial education through which
W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington were relatable to the Black community. A great portion of Individuals from the Black community were fatherless and being raised in one parent homes. Both, DuBois and Booker were fatherless and
Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois definitely had their differences, but they also had some similarities.The one main goal that both of them were trying to reach was equality for every single person no matter what color. First off, they both had peaceful aspects of their beliefs. For example, W.E.B. DuBois became a member of the NAACP which was founded on the belief that nonviolent protests and legal actions were the best ways to ensure equal rights for all Americans. Also, Booker T. Washington did not think that violent protesting would help so he never started any violent uprisings. Next, they both valued work just as much as education. Booker T. Washington has a quote that states “no race can prosper until it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field and in writing a
Booker T. Washington began life born into slavery on a Virginia plantation. As a young slave, Washington managed school and the task of slave work. He is well-known for being an author and his promotion of education and economics. On top of this however, he is known for his passive approach to the mistreatment of African Americans. On the other hand, W.E.B Du Bois, like Booker T. Washington, was known as an author and social activist. W.E.B’s father passed away early in Du Bois’ life, so he was socialized into an extended family that thoroughly impacted who he grew up to be. He studied at Harvard University and also maintained a teaching career. After teaching, he decided to work full time towards African American social activism. His viewpoint on the