Essay # 2
This paper is about how key Progressive Era leaders helped change America. This paper will show the roles that Robert La Follette and William Edward Burkhardt Du Bois had during this time. Both of these leaders were at the forefront of the Progressive movement, though they each lead drastically different paths, just like many other key leaders. This movement started on an individual levels, with those individuals being negatively affected by big industry, political machines and other social injustices that were being pushed against average citizens and minorities. This paper will show the background of these key leaders and the impact that La Follette had during his political career. The political party he helped create, as well as the creation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) that Du Bois was a co-founder of and their other accomplishments. Du Bois was born 23 February 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. He became the first African American to earn a doctorate, which he used to teach history, sociology and economics at Atlanta University. The start of Du Bois national prominence started with the of the Atlanta compromise, Du Bois was the leader of the Niagara Movement that opposed this compromise. The Atlanta compromise promised basic education and due process in law if African Americans would submit to Caucasian political slavery, however blacks were not able to rally for equality, integration or other injustices. At first many African American leaders supported this including Du Bois, however this quickly changed; Du Bois instead insisted that African Americans be granted full civil rights, increased political representation. The increased political representation that Du Bois wanted was because he knew that with African American intellectual elite representing other African Americans, that real change could be done to help bridge the gap in education between African Americans and Caucasians. The creation of the NAACP started with Du Bois attending the National Negro Conference in May 1909 in New York; this meeting lead to the creation of the National Negro Committee. The following year the NAACP was created with the purpose to campaign for civil rights, equal voting rights and equal education opportunities. In 1910 Du Bois was offered the position of Director of Publicity and Research, which he accepted. His main role in this position was to run the monthly magazine named The Crisis. Through this medium Du Bois was able to show the injustices being brought against African Americans in particular, …show more content…
La Follette entered his first political office for the Republican Party in 1880 becoming the county district attorney, shortly after attaining his law degree and passing the bar. La Follette served two terms as the district attorney and then went on to serve three terms as a member of the house until his landslide defeat in 1890. His defeat was due to unpopular bills that his party was behind including requiring all major subjects taught in the United States to be taught in English. After his defeat La Follette returned to Madison and started his own law practice; during this time away from politics La Follette started losing faith in the Republican Party, believing it was corrupted by big private interest. The catalyst that started La Follette’s true push towards progressive change was when he was allegedly bribed by his own Republican
This paper is about how key Progressive Era leaders helped change America. This paper will show the roles that Robert La Follette and William Edward Burkhardt Du Bois had during this time. Both of these leaders were at the forefront of the Progressive movement, though they each lead drastically different paths, just like many other key leaders. This movement started on an individual levels, with those individuals being negatively affected by big industry, political machines and other social injustices that were being pushed against average citizens and minorities. This paper will show the background of these key leaders and the impact that La Follette had during his political career. The political party he helped create, as well as the creation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) that Du Bois was a co-founder of and their other accomplishments. Du Bois was born 23 February 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. He became the first African American to earn a doctorate, which he used to teach history, sociology and economics at Atlanta University. The start of Du Bois national prominence started with the of the Atlanta compromise, Du Bois was the leader of the Niagara Movement that opposed this compromise. The Atlanta compromise promised basic education and due process in law if African Americans would submit to Caucasian political slavery, however blacks were not able to rally for equality, integration or other injustices. At first many African American leaders supported this including Du Bois, however this quickly changed; Du Bois instead insisted that African Americans be granted full civil rights, increased political representation. The increased political representation that Du Bois wanted was because he knew that with African American intellectual elite representing other African Americans, that real change could be done to help bridge the gap in education between African Americans and Caucasians. The creation of the NAACP started with Du Bois attending the National Negro Conference in May 1909 in New York; this meeting lead to the creation of the National Negro Committee. The following year the NAACP was created with the purpose to campaign for civil rights, equal voting rights and equal education opportunities. In 1910 Du Bois was offered the position of Director of Publicity and Research, which he accepted. His main role in this position was to run the monthly magazine named The Crisis. Through this medium Du Bois was able to show the injustices being brought against African Americans in particular, …show more content…
La Follette entered his first political office for the Republican Party in 1880 becoming the county district attorney, shortly after attaining his law degree and passing the bar. La Follette served two terms as the district attorney and then went on to serve three terms as a member of the house until his landslide defeat in 1890. His defeat was due to unpopular bills that his party was behind including requiring all major subjects taught in the United States to be taught in English. After his defeat La Follette returned to Madison and started his own law practice; during this time away from politics La Follette started losing faith in the Republican Party, believing it was corrupted by big private interest. The catalyst that started La Follette’s true push towards progressive change was when he was allegedly bribed by his own Republican