African American Struggles

Thesis: Prominent African American leaders sought to advance their people on an economical stage, create meaningful, purpose-driven lives, and create a sense of harmony and wellbeing. Oppression manifests in several different scenarios. Southern United States history shows remarkable lessoned learned from segregation, oppression, and injustices. Courage to fight these injustices takes strong leadership. Changing the ideas and views of the incumbent society is no simple task. The abolishment of slavery would create a new beast, The Jim Crow South. This new creation proved more sinister than the previous version of oppression. Several years of severe oppression took its toll on the African American Community. Prominent African American
leaders sought to advance their people on an economical stage, create meaningful, purpose-driven lives, and create a sense of harmony and wellbeing. Booker T.
Washington and Marcus Garvey are considered two of the most influential pioneers in the fight against oppression for African Americans. Although their views differed significantly, their motives were in the hearts of their people. Mr. Washington led a platform of education in technical skills for the advancement of African Americans. These skills would create skillful African Americans that will work in harmony with white people. They would be learning to do job that they are already working historically. Instead of believing they are owed by the white people, African Americans will work to earn their positions among society with the white
race. Mr. Harvey’s loyalty was with the Universal Negro Improvement Association. This organization sought to advance African Americans by consolidation. Harvey believed the only way for his people to advance was to create their own nation. He didn’t believe African Americans would ever be accepted in America as equals, and the only way is through Nationalism. Washington believed African Americans learning a job skill was a way of learning to respect their place in the hierarchy of America. A way of preventing people from overstepping their boundaries. It was through hard work that African Americans will learn values and trust Among their white counterparts. Both races will continue to work and grow together. Garvey, however, doesn’t believe African Americans can lead a promising life in America.
He believes there are too many differences in the races for African Americans to live a prosperous life in America. He is not intent on the cohabitation of America, inasmuch, as an African-Nation. He wants to unite all Africans, globally, into one single nation. Both men are promoting the wellbeing of their people. Washington wants peace without war. Many critics of Washington believes he is asking the African Americans to bow down to the white man. Washington, however, believes he is promoting peace and unity, especially through meaningful education. This technical education is providing African Americans with job skills needed to advance their lives, while at the same time, providing harmony among the races. Garvey is promoting peace through unity. Let the white man have this country and he will leave us alone. Africans will consolidate and live in unity on their own. He is not taking into consideration the African Americans who believe America is their home. Many people, regardless of race, fought for this land in previous years and want to stay here. Many former slaves want this new freedom to work in their favor. They are not ready to abandon this
land. Both leaders have ideas that promote realism to their culture and community. Both are idealistic; however, both are not addressing specific issues such as the ongoing oppression going on throughout the South. Their causes are just, but only reach out to a certain number of their people. As leaders, their plans should reach more goals for more people.