Booker T. Washington vs. W.E.B.

DuBois After the Civil War ended, and after Reconstruction came to an end, there was still inequality between African Americans and white men. Two leaders of the black community during this time period, Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBios, had theories on how African Americans could overcome social injustice. But their two theories were very different, and caused many arguments. During the 19th and early 20th century there was major conflict between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBios pertaining to the matter of how African Americans could gain social and economical progress in the United States. Booker T. Washington believed that African Americans should accept discrimination and focus on economic progress instead, for he believed that is how they would earn respect from white men. When Washington gave his famous Atlanta Compromise Address he said, In all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress.'" (McGill, Ralph) This quote is an example of how Washington does not go against discrimination, but instead says that progress is more important. Washington believed that the only thing preventing African Americans from social equality was their limited knowledge on industrial education. So Washington encouraged African Americans to learn the crafts of industry, and encouraged white men to hire African Americans instead of immigrants, with the promise that African Americans would give up their pursuit of civil rights. W.E.B. DuBios had a different approach for African Americans reaching social justice. DuBios believed that the only way African Americans could achieve equality was through advocating for their rights and, Du Bois advocated political action and a civil

rights agenda. ("Booker T. & W.E.B.) Like Booker T. Washington, DuBios believed that the biggest obstacle for African Americans achieving equality was education, as well as civil rights. DuBios influenced people through his monthly magazine, The Crisis, and also believed that he influenced the Plessy vs. Ferguson case.

Works Cited "Booker T. & W.E.B." Frontline. WGBH educational foundation, n.d. Web. 5 Oct. 2013. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/race/etc/road.html>. McGill, Ralph. "W.E.B. Du Bois." Atlantic Monthly Nov. 1965: n. pag. Print. "NAACP History: W.E.B. DuBios." NAACP. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, n.d. Web. 5 Oct. 2013. <http://www.naacp.org/pages/naacphistory-w.e.b.-dubois>. "The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow." PBS. Ed. Richard Wormser. Educational Broadcasting, n.d. Web. 5 Oct. 2013. <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_people_booker.html>.