Sunday, January 28, 2018

What do the differing approaches of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois suggest about their views of American society?

Booker T. Washington believed that the best way for black people to do away with discrimination and be accepted as equals by the majority of Americans was to focus on themselves and gain material wealth through hard work. Washington believed that black people can be prosperous if they just focused on what they were good at. He believed in harnessing talents for financial gain.
W.E.B. Du Bois had a different view, believing in radicalism and calling on all black people to fight for their right to be free. Du Bois believed that the best way to end discrimination was through political action. He believed that black people could be liberated by college-educating a small number of black students, or 'the talented tenth' as he called them. The talented tenth would become black political leaders who would champion the rights of their community.
In conclusion, according to his views, Washington believed that the American society was fair, and it was only discriminating against them because they hadn't proven themselves. On the other hand, Du Bois believed that American society was not going to change unless someone stood up to those in power.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/debate-w-e-b-du-bois-and-booker-t-washington/


The approaches of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois suggest that they viewed American society quite differently. Booker T. Washington thought that African Americans should focus on getting a good vocational education and good jobs as their top priorities. He believed that if African Americans secured their place economically, this would impress white people and would facilitate the attainment of political rights. This suggests that Booker T. Washington had faith that the people in the American society would eventually help the status of African Americans.
W.E.B. Du Bois believed African Americans should get their economic and political rights at the same time. He felt that African Americans should not have to wait for these rights. This viewpoint suggests that W.E.B Du Bois had less faith that the white people of the American society would do the right thing for the advancement of African Americans.
Both men had different opinions about what steps African Americans should take to gain their rights.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/debate-w-e-b-du-bois-and-booker-t-washington/

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