Compare And Contrast Booker T Washington And Dubois

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Booker T. Washington and W. E. B DuBois used different strategies when dealing with the problems faced by African Americans at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. Segregation was a big problem during this time and African Americans were the ones facing the brunt of this issue. Both Washington and DuBois tried to fight for equality of African Americans and were in hopes that their actions, as well as programs, would help aid society toward agreeing with them. Washington was more about trying to gradually institute equality whereas DuBois took a more immediate approach. Even though Washington and DuBois took on different views, it can be agreed that both men took important steps to improve equality for African Americans …show more content…
What those people failed to consider was by Washington pushing the idea of skilled work it allowed blacks to be incorporated into society with a skilled job. Skills such as carpentry, welding, fabrication and agriculture provided blacks with a higher paying job that would allow them to work their way out of poverty. After Washington was freed from slavery at age 9, he went on to receive a diploma from Hampton University. Here he impressed the founder and he became the organizer and principal of the newly established African American trade school, Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute. This is where Washington incorporated his ideas and beliefs that skilled labor would help bring African Americans out of poverty and give them equality among whites. Despite opposition of his views, Tuskegee was very popular among African Americans and whites. Though whites did not enroll, they did not object to the idea of African Americans learning skilled trades. A great example of Washington 's strategy was his famous speech in 1895, the Atlanta Compromise. Washington spoke …show more content…
E. B DuBois. DuBois recognized Washington 's speech as important, but soon began to view Washington 's views on civil rights as an "accommodationist" strategy. He thought that Washington 's strategies were too submissive and would cause African Americans to give up on equality and accept their status among whites. DuBois was more focused on academic education to get equality among African Americans as well as pull them out of poverty and thought assimilation was the best means of treating discrimination against African Americans. Though DuBois opposed Washington 's strategies on civil rights, he still respected his accomplishments; just called for a new plan of action. In 1895 DuBois became the first African American to receive a doctorate from Harvard. Harvard University seems to be where his interest in sociology came into play. For many years he devoted himself to sociological investigations of blacks in America and published 16 research books between the timeframe of 1897-1914. All his work was geared to equal treatment among African Americans in a world dominated by whites and to refute myths of white inferiority to black America. By 1905 he became a founder and general secretary of the Niagara movement, an African American protest group of scholars and professionals. In 1909 DuBois was among the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). From 1910 to 1934 he served NAACP as

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