This document compares the views and careers of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois, two influential African American leaders at the turn of the 20th century. While both advocated for education for African Americans, Washington promoted industrial and vocational training to create skilled labor, while DuBois supported higher education for some as well as industrial training for most. They also differed in their views on politics, with Washington promoting accommodation and DuBois advocating for public protest and agitation. On segregation, Washington accepted it to allow economic advancement while DuBois called for an immediate end. Their economic views also diverged, with Washington supporting capitalism and DuBois being more critical and calling for greater public

1. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois

2. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois
Washington
• born in slavery in Virginia in
1858
• principal of Tuskegee
Institute, Alabama
• taught manual job skills like
masonry and carpentry
• became most influential black
leader with Atlanta
Compromise speech in 1895
which downplayed importance
of civil rights and social
equality in favor of economic
and educational advances for
African Americans
DuBois
• born in Massachusetts in
1868
• first African American to
earn PhD from Harvard in
1895
• taught at Wilberforce and
Atlanta Universities
• wrote Souls of Black Folk
criticizing Washington
• emphasized vigorous protest
against racial injustice

3. On Education
Washington
• promoted industrial education
to create skilled labor
DuBois
• supported industrial
education for most and
higher education of the
Talented Tenth

4. On Politics
Washington
• promoted cautious,
conservative accommodation
in public to avoid conflict with
whites
• financed civil rights court
cases and pressured
politicians in private
DuBois
• promoted agitation
• founded Niagara Movement
and NAACP for public protest

5. On Segregation
Washington
• willing to accept social
segregation to keep the peace
and allow African Americans
to advance economically
DuBois
• called for an immediate end
to segregation and
curtailment of civil rights

6. On Economics
Washington
• supported capitalism
• friend of Andrew Carnegie and
John D. Rockefeller who
donated to Tuskegee Institute
DuBois
• critical of capitalism
• called for “greater public
ownership of the public
wealth for the public good”