Around the turn of the century, decades after the Civil War and the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1963, racial tensions were still prominent. There was a new series of oppression and disenfranchisement that gained momentum through newly enacted Jim Crow laws. Not only was there a divide among white and black citizens, however, this division existed among black leaders in America. Booker T. Washington was among these leaders; he became one of the most prominent voices for African Americans following his Atlanta Compromise Speech on September 18, 1895. This speech served as a catalyst for a new method of black advancement in the United Sates – a point of view that was met with opposition from civil rights activist and author W.E.B.
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In The Souls of Black Folk, Du Bois criticizes Washington’s “programme” that, “practically accepts the alleged inferiority of the Negro races,” and accuses Washington of “[withdrawing] many of the high demands of Negros as men and American citizens” (Du Bois). There was, indeed, an opposition of Washington coming from black people who believed they deserved equality, in all senses of the word, as quickly as possible. This form of equality, however, was unrealistic; just as black people had their hearts set on freedom, many white people were adamant about asserting dominance and superiority. Therefore, the only way that Booker T. Washington could help advance the interests of black people was to compromise certain aspects of black people’s demands. This does not necessarily mean that Washington cozied up with white people, however, is telling of the place and environment in which Washington was raised, which allows him to observe the realities of living among white slave owners. At the Exposition, after stating that black people will claim a “devotion that no foreigner can approach,”, Washington assures white people that, “In all things that are purely social we can …show more content…
Washington used his exposure to Southern upbringing to navigate the murky waters of the concerns among black and white people alike, whether it be the poor black man or the wealthy white industrialist. Washington’s concern for white interests was thus required in order to establish white support and a means of economic development for black people, which would then aid to future advancement down the
In The Souls of Black Folk, Du Bois criticizes Washington’s “programme” that, “practically accepts the alleged inferiority of the Negro races,” and accuses Washington of “[withdrawing] many of the high demands of Negros as men and American citizens” (Du Bois). There was, indeed, an opposition of Washington coming from black people who believed they deserved equality, in all senses of the word, as quickly as possible. This form of equality, however, was unrealistic; just as black people had their hearts set on freedom, many white people were adamant about asserting dominance and superiority. Therefore, the only way that Booker T. Washington could help advance the interests of black people was to compromise certain aspects of black people’s demands. This does not necessarily mean that Washington cozied up with white people, however, is telling of the place and environment in which Washington was raised, which allows him to observe the realities of living among white slave owners. At the Exposition, after stating that black people will claim a “devotion that no foreigner can approach,”, Washington assures white people that, “In all things that are purely social we can …show more content…
Washington used his exposure to Southern upbringing to navigate the murky waters of the concerns among black and white people alike, whether it be the poor black man or the wealthy white industrialist. Washington’s concern for white interests was thus required in order to establish white support and a means of economic development for black people, which would then aid to future advancement down the