Washington vs. Du Bois: Teammates yet Rivals
Have you ever attended a protest, march, or public speech? Gatherings like these aren’t uncommon and go way back in history. Everyday we hear about activists in a certain part of the world speaking about what they believe in. Activism is not an unfamiliar concept to Americans. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois are considered two of the most influential activists for racial equality movements. These two men were famously known for striving for the equality of the African American race. Although they came from different lifestyles, both men grew up to become successful. Despite their different approaches to targeting the issue of racism in America, they shared the same goal. With the …show more content…
For starters, both of these men were a huge part of an African American equality movement. It was important for both of them to be given the same rights as anyone else. They didn’t want to be treated like they were less human than anyone else. Racism was also something both of them experienced. For example, in his younger years Booker T. longed for an education. One day he saw some kids inside a school working. “He wanted to do what those children were doing, but he was a slave, and it was illegal to teach slaves to read and write” (“Booker T. Washington”, 2017). There were many other instances that made Booker T. feel excluded because of his race. This also happened with Du Bois. When he attended Fisk University in Tennessee, he felt the same pain Booker T. had felt. “It was there that he first encountered Jim Crow laws. For the first time, he began analyzing the deep troubles of American racism” (“W.E.B. Du Bois”, 2017). This led both of them to write their own speeches and books highlighting the lifestyle of African Americans in this era. They were both a part of a large …show more content…
Du Bois and Booker T. Washington both sought after African American rights despite different approaches to the issue. Throughout their lives, they went through many of their own struggles, both similar and different. They both ended up become successful activists, speakers, and even writers. Although many people had their personal preference of the two, one thing was for certain; they both carried a legacy that still remains
Have you ever attended a protest, march, or public speech? Gatherings like these aren’t uncommon and go way back in history. Everyday we hear about activists in a certain part of the world speaking about what they believe in. Activism is not an unfamiliar concept to Americans. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois are considered two of the most influential activists for racial equality movements. These two men were famously known for striving for the equality of the African American race. Although they came from different lifestyles, both men grew up to become successful. Despite their different approaches to targeting the issue of racism in America, they shared the same goal. With the …show more content…
For starters, both of these men were a huge part of an African American equality movement. It was important for both of them to be given the same rights as anyone else. They didn’t want to be treated like they were less human than anyone else. Racism was also something both of them experienced. For example, in his younger years Booker T. longed for an education. One day he saw some kids inside a school working. “He wanted to do what those children were doing, but he was a slave, and it was illegal to teach slaves to read and write” (“Booker T. Washington”, 2017). There were many other instances that made Booker T. feel excluded because of his race. This also happened with Du Bois. When he attended Fisk University in Tennessee, he felt the same pain Booker T. had felt. “It was there that he first encountered Jim Crow laws. For the first time, he began analyzing the deep troubles of American racism” (“W.E.B. Du Bois”, 2017). This led both of them to write their own speeches and books highlighting the lifestyle of African Americans in this era. They were both a part of a large …show more content…
Du Bois and Booker T. Washington both sought after African American rights despite different approaches to the issue. Throughout their lives, they went through many of their own struggles, both similar and different. They both ended up become successful activists, speakers, and even writers. Although many people had their personal preference of the two, one thing was for certain; they both carried a legacy that still remains