In late 1865, after the end of the civil war, the 13th amendment abolished slavery. The reconstruction era began in the South, which gave millions of former slaves the rights of citizenship, recognition under the constitution, and the right to vote. However, these rights were often ignored and dishonored. This placed the freed man in a contradictory situation. Technically, the former slaves were free, but ignorance of the law prevented them from moving forward. Following the reconstruction era, Jim Crow laws were passed, which enforced racial segregation in the South. These laws would continue into the mid-1960’s, eventually ending with the civil rights movement. Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Marcus Garvey all had innovative
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While not entirely successful, Booker T. Washington’s pacifist approach made the most sense under these circumstances.
During the reconstruction period in the south, Booker T. Washington had the best approach for African-American’s to move forward. As a result of a lifetime of enslavement, Washington states that the now free men would not have any “proper conception” of education. For example, these freed men believed that learning Greek and Latin would elevate them to levels of prestige and esteem. Washington points out that this is a misconception of education. While these skills may gain the admiration of others, they serve no practicality in earning a living for these men …show more content…
Washington’s approach to racial inequality was controversial and included many critics. W.E.B Du Bois, born in the north, ten years after Washington, was one of those critics; he scrutinized Washington in his novel The Souls of Black Folk. Washington’s method in the reconstruction era “practically accepts the alleged inferiority of the negro races” (Du Bois III par. 15) proclaimed Du Bois. Washington was submissive; he had the Negro people give up political power, civil rights, and higher education. This helped lead to the disfranchisement, civil inferiority, and loss of federal funds for the Negro (Du Bois III par. 15-18). These passive tactics took these issues away from the nation, and turned it into solely a Negro problem (Du Bois III par. 27). De Bois had a different tactic to the way things needed to be done. He believed that equal rights should not wait, was a proponent of classical education, and was anti Jim Crow laws. De Bois approach would come into play more than 100 years after slavery was abolished in the late 1950’s and 60s, with the civil rights movement. Marcus Garvey, born in Jamaica thirty years after Washington, was a third thinker of the times had another approach that the Negro should take. Garvey believed that the millions of Negro’s should leave the United States and start a new country. There was no place for them in a country with separation of races, Jim Crow laws, and racist organizations (49). Garvey’s idea would never
While not entirely successful, Booker T. Washington’s pacifist approach made the most sense under these circumstances.
During the reconstruction period in the south, Booker T. Washington had the best approach for African-American’s to move forward. As a result of a lifetime of enslavement, Washington states that the now free men would not have any “proper conception” of education. For example, these freed men believed that learning Greek and Latin would elevate them to levels of prestige and esteem. Washington points out that this is a misconception of education. While these skills may gain the admiration of others, they serve no practicality in earning a living for these men …show more content…
Washington’s approach to racial inequality was controversial and included many critics. W.E.B Du Bois, born in the north, ten years after Washington, was one of those critics; he scrutinized Washington in his novel The Souls of Black Folk. Washington’s method in the reconstruction era “practically accepts the alleged inferiority of the negro races” (Du Bois III par. 15) proclaimed Du Bois. Washington was submissive; he had the Negro people give up political power, civil rights, and higher education. This helped lead to the disfranchisement, civil inferiority, and loss of federal funds for the Negro (Du Bois III par. 15-18). These passive tactics took these issues away from the nation, and turned it into solely a Negro problem (Du Bois III par. 27). De Bois had a different tactic to the way things needed to be done. He believed that equal rights should not wait, was a proponent of classical education, and was anti Jim Crow laws. De Bois approach would come into play more than 100 years after slavery was abolished in the late 1950’s and 60s, with the civil rights movement. Marcus Garvey, born in Jamaica thirty years after Washington, was a third thinker of the times had another approach that the Negro should take. Garvey believed that the millions of Negro’s should leave the United States and start a new country. There was no place for them in a country with separation of races, Jim Crow laws, and racist organizations (49). Garvey’s idea would never