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Kevin Ashu
APUSH /5
12/8/08

Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois, both early advocates of the civil
rights movement, drafted, instilled, and instituted appropriate strategies and
solutions to the discrimination and ideals of racial inferiority experienced by African-
American Men and Women of the nineteenth and twentieth Centuries. Despite
having the same common goal (Universal Tolerance of the African-American Race).
Washington, condoned economic efficiency had a more gradual approach as
opposed to Du Bois, whose direction of thought involved immediate and total
equality in both the political realm and economical. For the time period thought
(1870-1920), Washington approach was overall more effective and appropriate,
whilst Du Bois approach has more of a Martin Luther King feel. Both had an equal
influence over African-Americans in politics, but Washington always seemed to have
the upperhand in white politics. Washington’s proposals and ideals excel in
education for the greater majority of African-Americans while Du Bois was noted for
achieving true respect for the African-American community for the white Americans.

During the ninetiethand twentieth centuries, politics was completely

dominated by White-Americans, especially in the Southern States! Du Bois urged
African-Americans to involve themselves in politics. Because only in gaining high
respected African-American political spokesmen would Blacks be able to acquire
rights. Political association would prevent blacks from falling behind “Because when
the Negro found himself deprived of influences in politics, therefore, and at the
same time unprepared to participate In the higher functions in the industrial
development which this country began, he begins losing the ground in the basic
things of life.”(Document I) Du Bois also directly challenged Washington when he
stated that the way for people to gain their reasonable rights is not by throwing
them away, and insisting they do not want them (Document E) Du Bois also goes in
to criticize that that the principles of democratic government are losing ground, and
social class distinctions are growing radically (Document F). The political demands
Du Bois makes go even further, he demands radical change, that African-Americans
must continuously uphold “season after season”.(Document E). These statements
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ultimately lead to his downfall, and were unfavorable among white politicians.
Under Washington’s theory this “complaining” would decrease, he avoided political
involvement.

In the late nineteenth century, academically changes had begun. In 1880 the
percentage of 5-20 year olds enrolled in school for whites was approx 66%, while
the percent of blacks was roughly half of that (28%), which was a vast improvement
over just thirty years before when the number of blacks enrolled in schools was
fewer than 4% (Document A). The efforts of Washington towards academic improval
of blacks surely showed themselves at this time. Although there was more students
enrolled, their education system was far below whites, this explains why the literacy
rate of white pop was at 10% while population of blacks unable to read soared at
70% (Document B). Washington and Du Bois recognized this, but took different
paths. Washington believed that if blacks focused their attention on striving
economically they would eventually be given the rights they disserved. So he
encouraged attending schools like the Tuskegee Institute of Alabama (which he
founded) where no time was wasted on dead languages, or superfluous studies of
any kind. Then he proposed working either industrially or agriculturally since their
education would be based on what is practical and what would best fit the young
people for work life (Document G).

Du Bois on the other hand, thought after a good education was recivied, only
then can they succeed. He believed along with others that industrial education
would not stand African-Americans in place of political, civil, and intellectual liberty
(Document H) W.E.B Du Bois, however, is able to surpass Washington in the area of
overall respect and morality concerning white folk. Booker T. Washington made a
point that if blacks could prove themselves useful, they could achieve their rights.
Washington stated, “No race that has anything to contribute to the markets of the
world is long in any degree ostracized. It is important and right that all privileges of
the laws be ours, but it is vastly more important that we be prepared for the
exercise of those privileges. The opportunity to earn a dollar in a factory just now is
worth infinitely more than the opportunity to spend a dollar in an opera house”. In
theory, Washington concluded that in order for African Americans to succeed, it was
imperative for them to befriend the white men. Only then would the struggle for
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blacks end. He continually sounds of begging when stating to the white men:
Casting down your bucket among my people, helping and encouraging them as you
are doing on these grounds, and to education of head, hand, and heart While doing
this you can be sure in the future, as in the past, that you and your families will be
surrounded by the most patient, faithful, law-abiding, and civil people that the world
has seen. All this had been said in his Atlanta Compromise Address in 1895 (Doc D).
It was also apparent to everyone African American who did not totally agree with
Washington's idea that this was a sign of submission for the black race. The
submissive part was, if none else, the fact that we were to accept that black people
were going to continue to use their hands as a means to be productive to a white
society. Many blacks turned away from such a statement and this is where W.E.B.
Du Bois came to relieve them. Although Fortune stated, It is impossible to estimate
the value of such a man (Doc G), Du Bois rejected the philosophy of Booker T.
Washington declaring that he was condemning their race to manual labor and
perpetual inferiority. He argues that the way for a people to gain respect is not by
continually belittling and ridiculing themselves (Doc E). The De Facto segregation,
such as a separate water fountain for colored only (Doc J) proposed by Washington
did alleviate white and black tension but nonetheless was degrading.

He presenteds that the “wisest “among the African-American race understand

that the disturbance of social equality is the extremist 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 (Doc D). Barnett criticized that
Washington; one of the most noted of their own race should join with the enemies
(Doc H). Such attitudes from Washington could truly be appreciated by Southern
whites who in no way would want to be equivalent to a Negro. Although both men
approached the topic differently, the advancement of civil rights would not be as far
along today if it were not for both simultaneous views. Each needed the other to
achieve his agenda. However, the most experienced in dealing with the sensitivity
of the prejudices was Washington. He seemingly knew what buttons to push and
how far he could push them. Curiously, the year Washington gave his Atlanta
Compromise Address in 1895, the number of blacks lynched dropped from 170 the
previous year to just above 120. It is also interesting to note that after Du Bois gave
his speech about The Niagara Movement in 1905, the numbers began to steadily
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increase again (Doc C, D, F). Du Bois approach of ceaseless agitation, unfailing

exposure of dishonesty and wrong (Doc F) was not ready for the time where
Washington is more rational in his gradual approach. But both men gradually helped
Blacks at the time gain rights, and made the stepping stones for the Civil Rights
movement- And ultimately Women’s Rights as well!
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be appreciated by Southern whites who in no way would want to be equivalent to a

Negro