Plessy Vs Dubois

W.E.B. Du Bois was an American civil rights activist, sociologist, and scholar who dealt with sociological problems and events that proposed the issue of seeking equality between blacks and whites and justice for the African American race. He fought to enhance education, occupation and most of all freedom for blacks during his reign. The influence of the Plessy vs. Ferguson case inspired him to discuss racism in America. This case involved Mr. Homer Plessy, a man who appeared to be white, but was one eighth black (and if you had any black blood in you, you were considered black) he bought a ticket for the Louisiana train, by him being black he was asked to remove himself from the “whites car only” which was a violation of that states separate …show more content…
Mr. Washington distinctly asked that black people give up at least for the present three things. First political power, second, insistence on civil rights, third, higher education for Negro youth and concentrate all their energies on industrial education, and accumulation of wealth, and the conciliation of the south.” (Du Bois, 53) In the essay “Of the meaning of Progress” a related issue noted by Du bois, is when he went to the commissioner’s house and was asked to stay for dinner. Surprisingly, they ate first, and he ate second, alone. This incident in itself more than likely provoked Du bois to feel a certain way about himself as being a black man in America, who is portrayed less than who he really is, and contemplated over the issue of racism and living behind the veil. (Du bois, 65)
To enhance, Du Bois mentions “Sam Carlon an impudent old skinflint who had definite notions about “niggers” and hired Ben a summer, and would not pay him. Then the hungry boy gathered his sacks together, and in broad daylight went into Carlon’s corn and when the hard fisted farmer set upon him, the angry boy flew at him like a beast. Doc. Burke saved a murder and a lynching that day.” (Du Bois,