At the start of the 20th century, Jim Crow laws still crippled the rights of the African American community and segregation was at an all-time high. Even occupations such as Federal employment were degraded through segregation. Consequently, small protests began; insignificant in the short term, but it truly laid the foundation for the civil rights movement to have a major impact throughout America. Despite the limits and obstacles in their path, men and women rose to new heights, disregarding the concept of white supremacy. Whilst they had to endure a life of hardship, being denied higher education and the vote, many would not allow themselves to remain ‘separate but equal’. This essay will explore the accomplishments of African-American leaders but focus on how they couldn’t have succeeded without the influence of other factors, such as the federal government, a view shared with Miles Mulin who stated that ‘… in combination with their own persistent efforts, only the concerted efforts of a muscular federal government guaranteed the most fundamental rights…’…
Booker Taliaferro Washington was born a slave on a small farm in Virginia. After the emancipation he moved with his family to work in the salt and coal mines. After an education at Hampton Institute Booker received a teaching position at Hampton that sparked ideas for his future. In 1881 Booker found Tuskegee Institute. Though he offered nothing that was innovative in industrial education, he became the chief black exemplar and spokesman. He convinced the southern white employers and governs that Tuskegee offered an education that would keep blacks “down on the farm and in the trades”(Washington. 1963). He even convinced the self-made white northerners like Carnegie and Rockefeller to “help” him and to his people living within post-reconstruction south, he gave them industrial education.…
Booker T. Washington was a former slave who rose to become one of the most influential African-Americans intellectuals of the 19th century. Washington believed that African Americans had to educate themselves to live in American society and building a strong economic base was more critical than planning an uproar for equal rights. He was among the most prominent black educator, power broker, and institution builder of his time. Washington offered the doctrine of accommodation to Jim Crow, acquiescing in social and political inequality for blacks while training them for economic self- determination in the industrial arts known as the Atlantic Exposition Address. He encouraged Africa-Americans to be self- reliant and urged them to establish…
Booker T Washington strategy and program was to influence black and white people that the certain way for black people to advance was by learning skills and establishing a will to do labor . Booker T. Washington made his mark with the notorious “Atlanta Compromise” speech, in which he plead black Southerners to “Put down their bucket where they were” and provide space for white Southerners in hope of earning equality through humility and industry. Washington program brought well-known attention to his views of how African Americans could best fit into society at that time. Washington believed that it was pointless, at the time, for blacks to worry about their place in society. He felt it was better to focus on becoming economically independent…
Q. What was NOT a belief of Booker T. Washington about opportunities for African Americans?…
As the great parts of the Afro-American history, Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois played the most important roles in the problem of Negro leadership of nineteenth- twentieth centuries. The Negro leadership problem caused considerable debate among Negro leaders: how to obtain first-class citizenship for the Negro American. Some black leaders encouraged Negroes to become skilled workers. Others advocated struggle for civil rights, especially the right to vote. In the theory it would lead to the economic and social rights. The two remarkable black men were presenting two opposite solutions of the most heated controversy in Negro leadership at that time. For two decades Washington was the founder and the trustworthy base of a dominant tone…
Washington presented his approach to an audience on September 18, 1895, when he delivered his Atlanta Compromise Address. In his address, Washington advised blacks to accept discrimination for the time being and concentrate on elevating themselves through hard work and an education and career in an industrial study, such as farming, enterprise, housekeeping, or thrift. He explained that this would earn the respect of whites and eventually incorporate them into society. Washington assured, “No race that has anything to contribute to the markets of the world is going to be in any degree ostracized” (Source D). DuBois, on the other hand, disagreed and argued that social change could only be accomplished by giving the black population a higher education and developing them into cultured individuals. Although well intentioned, DuBois’ plan was quite unrealistic. During this time period, over half of the black population above age nine was illiterate and only about 1/3 of Negros…
In post-reconstruction America, many Black writers, ministers, teachers and others eloquently argued on behalf of freedom and justice for Black Americans, advocating various strategies for achieving racial and economic equality. Two such leaders who helped shape the political discourse were Ida B. Wells and Booker T. Washington. Urging politically divergent approaches, they both wanted African American people and men in particular, to be valued and respected by the white south. However, they differed significantly in the means by which they believed such change would come about. Ida B. Wells told the truth in a way that made many whites uncomfortable, addressing lynching and other racially motivated atrocities directly and proposing that African Americans collectively leverage economic power through strikes and boycotts, and individually protect themselves from lynches with weapons. In contrast, Washington was more conciliatory, appealing to whites to give African Americans the opportunity to prove their technical capacity and participate alongside whites as legitimate economic partners. While the “gradualist” gained unprecedented access to formal political power through his white benefactors, I believe Ida B. Wells’ argument that African Americans stop conceding power to whites was more persuasive in advancing racial equality for African Americans in post-reconstruction America.…
When racism was a huge problem in the U.S in the late 20th century there were two main African American leaders that stepped into play to help control the issues. Even though they were completely opposite both of them made huge changes in the segregation of the United States of America, the names Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Dubois will never be forgotten, As a consequence the rivalry between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Du Bois is one well known to scholars and historians of the African American community. This paper compares and contrasts the ideals of Washington and Du Bois and identifies the difference between the two dealing with discrimination.…
Washington was the nation’s most influential black leader. He had access to the most powerful political and business leaders in the United States. He would even become an advisor to the President. Washington was a former slave with no money who, with help; taught himself to read; was a very religious person; always the top student in his class; worked his way through school, and people admired him. Washington soothed white people and reassured black Americans as he counseled conciliation, patience, and agricultural and mechanical training as the most effective means to bridge the racial divide. His 1895 speech at the Cotton States Exposition in Atlanta elicited praise from both white and black listeners. (Darlene Clark Hine, et al., The African-American Odyssey, p. 443) Washington cleverly spoke in a way to raise up black aspirations without making white people fearful enough to kill and change laws. The south was only three decades out of the Civil War, and one of every three people was black. Many blacks in the south were kept illiterate and impoverished. Washington told whites that if they kept this up they will also be down. But, if they help lift blacks up, they and their community will also be lifted. He advised blacks to not be so distressed where they could not see the opportunity around them, and that their destiny was in the south. He also stated to cast down their buckets where they were in areas of trades and mechanics to live by production with their hands. During this time, black white collar workers such as lawyers could not find much work. Washington thought being a doctor was great, but stated; don't miss the opportunity in front of you right now. Washington also expressed to whites that black people have never treated them wrong and since their destiny rest in blacks, stop brutalizing them and help blacks get an education. Whites, at this time, feared blacks would vote and take over. Washington told whites…
This means that african americans would not have political and social equality until they had intellectual equality and had equal and the same education. So he believed that the only way that african americans could be in any sort of political power is if they had a good education. Booker T Washington and W.E.B were different in many ways. For an example, Booker said to accept being at the bottom of life for the time being and wait the time for african americans to be accepted. But W.E.B wanted equality right away.…
Throughout the twentieth century, African Americans fought to obtained equality. During this battle, many African Americans expressed their concerns about racism and plans to uplift their race. Ida B. Wells, Booker T. Washington, and W.E.B. DuBois were three speakers that caught many people attention. In an excerpt from Southern Horrors, Wells strongly states how feeling about lynching. She believed that lynching gave the “white man” the opportunity to kill the “black man” any time he feels the need. “Over the course of two years, 728 African Americans were lynched” (Wells). A wrongfully accused black man was lynch because the white men thought he raped a white woman. “The girl herself maintained that her assailant was a white man”, stated Wells. Wells believed that her people should demand that the lynch laws be condemned. If they (the white men) did not stop with the unnecessary lynching, her people should withdraw their labor. She stated, “If labor is withdrawn, capital will not remain.” This idea will make the whites cease their behavior if they want to make money. The plans of ceasing labor in order to get what you want was essential for black racial uplift. Washington had a different approach. He believed that African Americans should become friends with the people that surrounded…
Booker T Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois are both remarkable black leaders of the black Americans. What they do with the inequality of blacks is very different. Booker T Washington was born in a black slave family and his way to work is to communicate with the white and make them feel the way they are in an upper level and blacks are beneficial for them with letting them being accepted in their earth. W.E.B. Du Bois attended Fisk University, a top historically black college, obtained his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, and studied in Berlin.( “The 'Old Negro' of Booker T. Washington versus the 'New Negro' of W.E.B. Du Bois.)His idea was to say to the Whites about what they need to be down and they need to accept black people to their society in a polite way, his main idea was to let blacks have the equal rights and equal education with black peoples. Booker T. Washington’s idea was to focus on the jobs for blacks that would get their normal life goes on, he is not trying to get any higher rights from white people. His help for black is letting whites accepting them on the world of white people. Gaining equality and letting black people become well educated was the idea that W.E.B. Du Bois had for the reforming of black people’s identity. W.E.B. Du Bois has the better idea of reforming the identity of black in America society because his idea was more beneficial for the black people because it is more of what black would expect.(Seraile, William. "Washington, Booker T." In Hoogenboom, Ari, and Gary B.)…
In 1895 there was discrimination everywhere. In America people of African descent had a miserable existence. Less than 40 years earlier, they were either “owned” property, known as slaves, or lived a very humble, poverty stricken life. Booker T. Washington was among a number of very few blacks that were articulate, well educated, and well informed. He was aware that his life stood as an example to both blacks and whites that his race was capable of much more. His purpose was to bring the United States together and show how everyone could benefit. In this speech, Booker T. Washington uses many rhetorical devices to promote changes in the combined community of the nation. In his opening statements he was clear that the audience as a participating element in society should recognize the “American Negro”.…
Booker T. Washington, considered today as one of the most influential and respected African American figures, was born into slavery and was later freed by the revolutionizing effects of the Emancipation Proclamation. His charismatic and peaceful personality along with his role in philanthropic acts, politics, and negotiations soon turned him into a source of admiration shortly after the end of the civil war. He worked for the coexistence of blacks and whites and in his strive, he delivered his most famous speech, known as the “Atlanta Compromise Address”.…