Booker T.Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois Essay - 1184 Words

Since their arrival in North America, Blacks have been abused and oppressed into a state less than human. In an article written by W.E.B. Du Bois he said, â€Å"The sincere and passionate belief that somewhere between men and cattle God created a tertium quid, and called it a negro† (Du Bois). In the late 19th and 20th centuries a strong push for economic and social progress for African-Americans was being made. The prominent leaders of this movement amongst the Black community were Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois, however they had very differing views on how to achieve this goal (PBS.org). Washington and Du Bois essentially split the Black community into two parties, radical and conservative. Du Bois, the radical, preached for a†¦show more content†¦Washington felt that southern racism had reached such an extraordinary level that immediate social equality for Blacks would do little, instead he preached self help for Blacks, and sought to teach them practical skills at Tuskegee (ushistory.org). Booker urged for Blacks to accept racial discrimination until they had elevated themselves through hard work and material prosperity (PBS.org). Washington received much fame for a speech he presented on September 18, 1895, titled the â€Å"Atlanta Compromise†. In the speech he greatly emphasized the line â€Å"Cast down your bucket where you are†. The line urged Blacks to accept racial discrimination for the time being, until they were able to advance themselves through hard work. Washington held strong to his ideals of a practical education instead of one of a liberal arts standpoint. In an article he wrote titled â€Å"The Awakening of the Negro† he claimed â€Å"The fact that a student goes out into the world conscious of his power to build a house or a wagon, or to make a harness, gives him a certain confidence and moral independence that he would posses without such training† (Washington). Washington supported this theory strongly, but he was smart enough to see why some objected to his ideals. He was aware that an education so focused on industrial training was simply teaching Blacks to perform the same tasks that they were forced to complete well enslaved (Washington). W.E.B. Du Bois never knew slavery first hand. He wasShow MoreRelatedBooker T Washington Vs W. E. B De Dubois Essay1445 Words   |  6 PagesHow can two people that our similar but at the time have different ways of life come together to achieve the same goal?Imagine 30 years after slavery ended you because of the color of your skin are still being mistreated. During the time of Booker and W.E.B the Jim crow law was created to segregate blacks and whites. Because of the segregation blacks had their own society like community only dealing with each other. Blacks were separated from society, they had their own neighborhoods buildings theyRead MoreA Comparison Of Booker T Washington And W. E. De Dubois1532 Words   |  7 PagesHow can two people that our similar but at the time have different ways of life come together to achieve the same goal?Imagine 30 years after slavery ended you because of the color of your skin are still being mistreated. During the time of Booker and W.E.B t he Jim crow law was created to segregate blacks and whites. Because of the segregation blacks had their own society like community only dealing with each other. Blacks were separated from society, they had their own neighborhoods buildings they