W.E.B. Du Bois was an influential activist and scholar who fought for racial equality and African American rights in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He co-founded the NAACP, published the seminal work The Souls of Black Folk which examined the double consciousness of African Americans, and advocated for higher education and political participation to advance civil rights. Throughout his career, Du Bois promoted sociological research on African American communities and challenged Booker T. Washington's approach of accepting racial segregation.
1. Essay On W. E. B Dubois
W.E.B Dubois is a better philosopher than Booker T about the advancement of rights for African
Americans after the civil war. Dubois is the best because he started the NAACP, argued about social
change with the "Talented Tenth", and wanted equality for blacks did not accept segregation. Dubois
is the best because he co founded the NAACP. He did not settle for less for African Americans, but
started an association for the advancement of rights for African Americans. He directed the public
and the magazines and promoting the, "constant stream of agitation–often bitter and sarcastic–at
white Americans while serving as a source of information and pride to African Americans"(NAACP).
Dubois made sure that African Americans had pride in the white centered America and dug deep
into the thoughts of all black people after the civil war.
Dubois is the best because he wanted to start change with the "Talented Tenth". Dubois wanted
African...show more content...
Washington believe in, "...Blacks should stop agitating for voting and civil rights not only in
exchange for economic gains and security"(kenyon.edu). Of course Washington is wrong because
getting equal rights gets you many opportunities. Voting makes your voice get heard as "agitating
for the ballot" seems very necessary. If we kept Washington's ideals who knows the state the U>S
would be in.
So,why is Dubois the best. Dubois fought for African Smericans rights, and cofounded the NAACP,
and promoted African American education in this other mechanical and technical. His radical ideals
helped to promote the civil rights movements in America vs Washington who wanted them to
suppress themselves and not fight for rights som much,but instead just have mechanical or technical
based education. In the the end even though Dubois was the best both him and Washington both
worked to advance the rights of African Americans in their time and their examples helped to
advance the African Americans
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2. W.E.B. Du Bois Essay
W.E.B. Du Bois Few men have influenced the lives of African–Americans as much as William
Edward Burghardt (W.E.B.) Du Bois is considered more of a history–maker than a
historian(Aptheker, "The Historian"). Dr. Du Bois conducted the initial research on the black
experience in the United States. Civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. have referred to
Du Bois as a father of the Civil Rights Movement. Du Bois conducted the initial research on the
black experience in the United States, and paved the way for the Pan–African and Black Power
movements. This paper will describe his life, work, influence in the black community, and much
publicized civil dispute with another black leader, Booker T. Washington. Du Bois was born
...show
more content...
The same year the dissertation was published, Du Bois began to teach Latin, Greek, German, and
English at Wilberforce University in Ohio. After teaching for several years, Du Bois conducted an
exhaustive study of the social and economic conditions of urban blacks in Philadelphia in 1896
and 1897. The results were published in the Philadelphia Negro (1899). This was the first
sociological text on a black community published in the United States. In 1897 Du Bois moved to
Atlanta University, where he taught economics and history for more than a decade. His most
widely acclaimed work, The Souls of Black Folk (1903) was published during his time in Atlanta.
With The Souls of Black Folk, Du Bois had begun to challenge the leadership of Booker T.
Washington, a fellow educator who was then the most influential and admired black in the United
States. Washington, who had faith in the future of his race in the country, believed that hard work,
patience, and self pride would build their character and eventually earn them their civil rights. This is
evident in Washington's The Future of the American Negro. He shows the "impatient extremists"
within the Negroes of the North whose "ill–considered, incendiary utterances tend to add to the
burdens of our people in the South rather than relieve them." ("Washington," Discovering Authors)
During the Atlanta Exposition, Washington gave a
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3. W. E. B Dubois Essay
W.E.B Du Bois "How does it feel to be a problem," (W.E.B Du Bois 3) asked W.E.B Du Bois. The
activist was born during President Andrew Johnson's term and eventually died during Lyndon B.
Johnson's term. Born and raised in Massachusetts, he graduated from a black liberal arts college
in Nashville called Fisk University, and taught in a rural school during the summer. His
experiences with the school were documented in his book, The Souls of Black Folk. Du Bois
became the first black folk to receive a Ph.D in history from Harvard University. To earn his
post–doctoral degree, he studied in Germany. However, he ran out of funds. With the Philadelphia
Negro: A Social Study, Du Bois established himself as an impressive scholar of black life present in
America, and the study was of the initial black communities in the United States. Between 1898 and
1910, he taught sociology at...show more content...
Following the return from Africa, he reflected on his past and ideas. In Dusk of Dawn, Du Bois
has a chapter specifically dedicated to his ideology with sociology and felt the need to "educate
and agitate." However, this ideology fell flat with people, and he decided to revise it. "He could
no longer support integration as present tactics and relegated it to a long range goal. Unable to
trust white politicians, white capitalists of white workers he invested everything in the segregated
socialized economy." (duboislc) His views became increasingly radical, and it lead to two
alternative decisions for the NAACP. He decided to either completely change the board of the
NAACP, as they were almost entirely white, or he can leave the group he founded entirely. Leaving
the group, he resumed his efforts in Atlanta University. Furthermore, the sociologist completed two
influential works; The Black Renaissance and Dusk of Dawn. The two works expanded on his
socio–economic principles and the American voyage to African
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4. W. E. B. Dubois Research Paper
"I believe in Liberty for all men: the space to stretch their arms and their souls, the right to breathe
and the right to vote, the freedom to choose their friends, enjoy the sunshine, and ride on the
railroads, uncursed by color; thinking, dreaming, working as they will in a kingdom of beauty and
love."– W.E.B Du Bois (BrainyQuotes.com) As said in the quote people are not better or worse
because of their biologic genes. Many people have stood up for this in the past; one of those
people is W.E.B Du Bois. He stood up by saying that our sex and skin color are not what we
should be judged by. W.E.B Du Bois was quite smart, and did very well in school; even though he
was African American, he was still encouraged and supported by his white teachers. He got his
bachelor's degree at Fisk, University in Nashville, TN....show more content...
After that, he went to Harvard University. He got his Masters degree there, then he was invited to
join a study–abroad program at the University of Berlin. There he studied with some of the most
important social scientist of the time. He also was the first African American to earn a Ph.D at
Harvard University. He published his "landmark" study in 1899: The Philadelphia Negro: A Social
Study, which is about a Social Study on the community of the Seventh Ward, in Philadelphia, making
him at the time almost as famous as many very important characters in history, and a writer. He also
co–founded the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) which had a
magazine, named The Crisis, that he became the editor
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5. In the first four paragraphs of W.E.B. Du Bois' "The Souls of Black Folk", he develops two central
ideas which interact with each other. These central ideas are the idea of a "vast veil" (para 2), and
that of a "double–consciousness" (para 3). The vast veil represents the separation between whites
and blacks or American and African, as shown by the quote "But shut out of their [white people]
world by a vast veil" (para 3). The double–consciousness is one of the terms used for the duality of
the black souls, being "an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings;
two warring ideals in one dark body" (para 3). This twoness and the separation if it, keeps blacks
from feeling at home, to instead feel like "an outcast and
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6. Who Is W. E. B. Dubois?
William Edward Burkhardt DuBois, whom we all know as W.E.B. DuBois; was a novelist,
public speaker, poet, editor, author, leader, teacher, scholar, and romantic. He graduated from
high school at the age of 16, and was selected as the valedictorian, being that he was the only black
in his graduating class of 12. He was orphaned shortly after his graduation and was forced to fund
his own college education. He was a pioneer in black political thoughts and known by many as a
main figure in the history of African–American politics. W.E.B. DuBois attended Fisk University,
where he was awarded a scholarship after he graduated high school. Fisk University was located in
Nashville, Tennessee. While attending this University, this is where he saw...show more content...
In the years following the founding of the NAACP, DuBois was introduced into controversy as he
joined the Socialists Party. DuBois became a candidate for the United States Senate on the American
Labor (Communist) Party ticket. He also wrote letters, novels, and opinion excerpts as well as
organized the first meeting of the Pan–African Congress, the purpose of the Congress was to
improve the situation of native Africans. DuBois also initiated the concept of the "talented tenth" the
talented tenth was where he called for ten percent of the African American population where he lived
to receive a traditional college education so they could have leadership positions and assume
leadership positions within society and within their communities.
Dr. W. E. B. DuBois was known as an African American hero who truly believed that a person's
vocational calling should be dictated by ability and choice, not by race. DuBois, unlike Booker T.
Washington, not only demanded an immediate change but also drastic change, and was not afraid to
challenge both blacks and whites on social and educational issues to accomplish change because he
knew at that point, something needed to happen now. His strong activism and courage set the stage
for future changes in the African American and White American race relations.
In 1934 DuBois resigned from the NAACP staff in simply because he was not willing to advocate
racial
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7. The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B Dubois Essay
The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B Dubois
The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B Dubois is a influential work in African American literature and is
an American classic. In this book Dubois proposes that "the problem of the Twentieth Century is the
problem of the color–line." His concepts of life behind the veil of race and the resulting
"double–consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others," have
become touchstones for thinking about race in America. In addition to these lasting concepts, Souls
offers an evaluation of the progress of the races and the possibilities for future progress as the nation
entered the twentieth century.
" The Souls of Black Folk", is a collection of autobiographical and...show more content...
Washington's acceptance of segregation and his emphasis on material progress represent an "old
attitude of adjustment and submission." Du Bois asserts that this policy has damaged African
Americans by contributing to the loss of the vote, the loss of civil status, and the loss of aid for
institutions of higher education. Du Bois insists that "the right to vote," "civic equality," and "the
education of youth according to ability" are essential for African American progress.
Du Bois relates his experiences as a schoolteacher in rural Tennessee, and then he turns his attention
to a critique of American materialism in the rising city of Atlanta where the single–minded attention
to gaining wealth threatens to replace all other considerations. In terms of education, African
Americans should not be taught merely to earn money. Rather, Du Bois argues there should be a
balance between the "standards of lower training" and the "standards of human culture and lofty
ideals of life." In effect, the African American college should train the "Talented Tenth" who can in
turn contribute to lower education and also act as liaisons in improving race relations.
Du Bois returns to an examination of rural African American life with a presentation of Dougherty
County, Georgia as representative of life in the Southern Black Belt. He presents the history and
current conditions of the county. Cotton is still the life–blood of the Black Belt
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8. W. E. B. Dubois Essay
The racial issues and discrimination in the twentieth century were absurd. Although there were
advocates for racial equality and rehabilitation after slavery, there were still many struggles.
During this time period, African Americans were not given well deserved rights granted by the
14th Amendment, therefore, they were not able to live up to their full potential. They often had
to work extra hard to get basic needs such as education, jobs, and even a place to live. In The
Souls of Black Folk, W.E.B DuBois claims "The problem of the Twentieth Century was the color
line," meaning that there was a clear division of race during this time (DuBois v). The book
provides a number of essays which all convey the issue of African American...show more content...
"Emancipation was the key to a promise land of sweeter beauty than ever stretched before the eyes
of the wearied Israelites...Years have passed since then,– ten, twenty, forty: years of national life,
forty years of renewal and development, and yet the swarty spectre sits in its accustomed seat at
the Nation's feast" (Du Bois 4). What seemed like would be amazing and make slaves free, only
made them free on paper and not in the eyes of their masters or other whites. Looking back at this
time, Emancipation did not make a big difference in African AmericansĐ’Ň‘ personal lives or society.
It mislead African Americans. The end of the war came and so did the Freedmen 's Bureau. The
Freedmen's Bureau tried to provide an easier transition from slaves to freedmen for African
Americans by providing housing, jobs, food etc, but that was shut down due to lack of money
(History.com). Throughout the chapter Of The Dawn Of Freedom, many great things are said
about the Freedmen 's Bureau, "The greatest success of the Freedmen's Bureau lay in the planting
of the free school among Negroes" (Du Bois 20). But as great as that was it really didn 't solve the
biggest issues of time period – racial discrimination. "For this all men know: despite compromise,
war, and struggle, the Negro is not free...That is the large legacy of the Freedmen's Bureau, the
work it did not do because it could not" (Du Bois 24). That means that the Freedmen 's
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9. W. E. B. DuBois
W.E.B. Du Bois spent most of his career focusing on race relations and he defined the problem of
the color line. For most of his life he believed in integration, but towards the end of his life he
began to focus on Black Nationalism after he became discouraged with the lack of progress in race
relations (Allan, 2013). Du Bois was an author, a poet, civil–rights activist, Pan–Africanist, a
sociologist, and he was known for many other trades that he spent his time doing throughout his life.
He graduated valedictorian from high school then earned his bachelor's degree of arts from Fisk
University in Nashville, Tennessee. Then he attended Harvard University and got his bachelor of
arts cum laude, and then he pursued graduate studies in...show more content...
Du Bois felt that race played the same role and that race is a key factor in determining people's
status and role in society. Du Bois learned a lot from the teachings of Max Weber and learned from
him the importance of doing a thorough socioeconomic history as part of his research. Weber used
power, wealth, and prestige to determine people's status in society and Du Bois studied that with his
works at the 7th Ward and in his studies of the African American race. Du Bois learned a lot from
Weber and used his theories and teachings, along as Marx's theories, in his studies to further advance
the field of sociology and include race in future studies. W.E.B. Du Bois played a key role in
sociology as well as in the African American race. He differed from other civil rights activists in
how he thought the African American race should strive to make advancements. Booker T.
Washington felt like African Americans should focus on getting jobs whereas Du Bois said that
that talented tenth should be educated and become role models for the rest of the race. He had
many influences on his works, but he also created a new area of study for future sociologists. Du
Bois was very influential and left his mark on the field of sociology and the African American race
in general.
Works Cited
Allan, Kenneth. Explorations in Classical Sociological Theory: Seeing the Social World. Thousand
Oaks: Pine Forge, 2005. Print.
Harrison, Daniel. Lecture.
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10. Essay about W.e.b Du Bois
W.E.B Du Bois "One ever feels his two–ness. An
American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two warring ideals in one dark body whose dogged
strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder." This was how William E. B. Du Bois
described how it felt to be a Negro in the beginning of the twentieth century in his book The Souls
of Black Folk. W.E.B. Du Bois, was a black editor, historian, sociologist, and a leader of the civil
rights movement in the United States. He helped found the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and was its spokesman in the first decades of its
existence. William Edward Bughardt Du Bois was born three
years following...show more content...
While at Harvard Du Bois was not allowed to join clubs and dances due to his skin color. With his
background and study in philosophy, W.E.B. was driven to write The Suppression of the African
Slave– Trade. This was the first volume in the Harvard Historical Series, and William was the first
Negro to receive a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Harvard.
Although Du Bois was qualified for any teaching position,
no white university would hire him. After a two year fellowship in Europe, he obtained a
teaching position in Latin and Greek at Wilberforce, in Ohio. Two years were spent at
Wilberforce, when William married Nina Gomer. The University of Pennsylvania asked Du Bois
to do a study of the Negroes of Philadelphia. After living in the slums of Pennsylvania, he published
Philadelphia Negro about the lifestyle of a Negro in Philadelphia. Du Bois spent the next 13 years
teaching history and economics at Atlanta University, writing many books including: The Negro in
Business, The Negro Artisan, Notes on a Negro Crime, and many others. All his books at this time
dealt with Negro history and their living conditions in the late 1890's to 1910's.
In 1900, W.E.B. Du Bois attended the first Pan–African
Conference in London. After attending the conference in London, he later created the Pan– African
Conferences in the United States and in Europe. For this extraordinary accomplishment,
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11. W.E.B. Dubois: His Vision For Freedom Essay
African Americans during the 1900s lived lives full of uncertainty. They were no longer slaves,
but still looked upon by many as inferior to the white race. However in this period of tension, there
were men who sought to bring their race to new heights. One of these men was W.E.B Du Bois.
Few have influenced the lives of African Americans in such a way as W.E.B Du Bois. The vision he
had for African Americans was one that many found great hope in. He sought for the day that hisrace
for finally have civil equality in every aspect of life. In the time of Du Bois, African Americans
may have been considered free but still lacked many civil liberties, that the whites were easily
granted. One of the biggest civil liberties they lacked was...show more content...
If they spoke out long enough then the whites wold eventually have to change their beliefs and let the
African American people have their voice in politics. Including the right to vote, Du Bois also
hoped that his people would one day be able to achieve equality in education. To Du Bois
"education [was] the development of power and ideal" (Niagara Movement 2). If African
Americans could not reach this they would never be seen in the eyes of the whites as equal. He
wanted his people to been seen as bright and capable. He refused the idea that little black boys
and girls should be trained as nothing more than servants. African Americans deserved to get a
real education yes, "[they were] workers, but work [was] not necessarily education" (Niagara
Movement 2). To Du Bois education meant more than having the skill to work as a laborer it
meant his race would have a brighter future ahead of them. They could take what they had learned
in school and with it would be able to gain jobs, and a relatively satisfying living, they would be
seen as more alike to the whites, they after all had the "right to know, to think, to aspire" (Niagara
Movement 2). Without an education blacks were merely playing into the stereotype they had been
cast. An education could change this they would no longer be seen as criminals. As Du Bois points
out that out of
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12. W. E. B Dubois Essay
W.E.B. Du Bois is known by many for his work as a social activist, and his literary
accomplishments. Less known are his contributions to sociology. As a sociologist Du Bois showed
how race and racial inequalities shaped African Americans. He was particularly interested in the
responses of African Americans to the mistreatment they endured from whites. His work showed
how African Americans' position in society in relation to whites compelled them to think and view
themselves in a way that took account of their own perspective as well as the perspective of whites.
This theory created by Du Bois was known as Double Consciousness. Although the theory did not
receive much recognition within sociology at the time, it is now used more frequently...show more
content...
In his book, The Souls of Black Folks, Du Bois describes the Double Consciousness as a
phenomenon that occurs in African Americans because of their separation from white Americans.
With this Double Consciousness, African Americans have to act in a sense of "twoness", that is,
they must be who they are as African Americans and fulfill their roles in that sense and they must
also, see and experience themselves the way whites view them. When African Americans see
themselves the way whites portray them, they feel inferior and unworthy. Due to the fact that
these African Americans are segregated, discriminated and often harassed, the Double
Consciousness inevitably becomes a part of the experience of being black. Du Bois explains in
his book that this phenomenon creates "two warring ideals in one body" (Du Bois 1903 p. 6). He
provides the theory of Double Consciousness, not only as an explanation on how African
Americans felt because of the way they were differentiated from whites in society but also as a
means, of combating the oppression faced by African Americans. Du Bois provided a name for a
wide spread phenomenon, and is essentially telling society that African Americans know it is there,
it has a name, and they are going to use it to
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13. W. E. B Dubois Summary
How does it feel to be a problem? This is the question asked to W. E. B. Du Bois that truly made
him think about the existence of the black folk. With slavery drawing to a close there was a push
for the establishment of black rights. In the end, the struggle would remain that kept a grip around
the very freedoms they were demanding. The American negro was longing to attain a better and
truer self. What the blacks wanted was simply to make it possible for a man to be both a Negro
and an American, without being cursed and spit upon by his fellows, without having the doors of
opportunity closed roughly in his face. Du Bois learned at early age in elementary school that he
was "different" when a white girl refused to share cards with him. He then
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14. W.E.B Dubois Thoughts on Education Essay
W. E. B DuBois's thoughts on education
The Souls of Black Folk, written by W.E.B DuBois is a collection of autobiographical and historical
essays containing many themes. DuBois introduced the notion of "twoness", a divided awareness of
one's identity. "One ever feels his two–ness В– an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two
unreconciled stirrings: two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keep it
from being torn asunder" (215). There are many underlying themes in this collection of essays. One
of the themes that DuBois speaks on extensively is education. DuBois stresses the importance of
education amongst the black race. He believes that African Americans should be educated in order to
guide and...show more content...
The dominant white male of the story speaks the following statement, "Now I like the colored
people, and sympathize with all this reasonable aspirations; but you and I both know, John, that in
this country the Negro must remain subordinate and can never expect to be equal of white men"
(373). This is a fundamental sentiment that white people in the American society during that time
held on to. In this essay W.E.B DuBois shows how this black man, John, was treated in his
hometown after returning home with a college education. Both blacks and whites reject his new
views. However, to whites the black John represents a devaluing of the college education. If a black
person can have a college degree, then having a college degree must not have value. After this
reaction from society John started to think, "John Jones, you're a natural born fool" (369). This
behavior from society kept the average black person stagnant, and unmotivated. Continuing with the
famous debate between Washington and DuBois, DuBois argues in "The Training of Black Men"
that by training blacks for economic usefulness was not
Smith 3 enough. Using blacks for manual labor without the benefit of education, culture, and ideas
belittled them and suggests that they were less than human. Harmonization of race relations could
only occur between two self–respecting, cultured, educated races, not between a dominant elite and
a forcibly subordinated,
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15. W. E. B. Dubois Opinion Essay
W. E. B. Booker (1868–1963), wrote the book The Souls of Black Folks", which is made up of
essays. The book was published in the early 1900, in which he talked about what the blacks went
through in the early 20th century, and offered his own opinion about everything that happened,
including commenting on the ideas that Booker T. Washington (one of the greatest black leaders
of his time) proposed to the "Negros" to do in order to gain liberation. The difference between T.
Washington and W. E. B Dubois opinion, was that T. Washington wanted the "Negros", to stop or
give up on striving for their political or civil rights while ignoring the criticism and
discrimination. He wanted them to concentrate more on their economic future which he believed
would enable them to get the rights as well as other things they were striving for. Whereas, on the
other side W. E. B. Du Bios wanted the "Negros" to stand up and fight for themselves to earn the
civil and political rights (to be able to vote) believing that as humans and citizens of a country you
deserve all rights and equality. In regards to this also, Du Bios started that you couldn't get a better
economic future without having a good political strength which could be seen in Du Bios Comment:
" He is striving nobly to make Negro...show more content...
Washington told the Negros in his speech in "Atlanta Comprise" (which earned him a lot of favor
in the face of Negros and Whites as well) that they need to engage in useful education (such as
crafting, industrial working and farming skills), then go back to working and making a good
living out of what they learnt, which he believed would earn them full citizenship. On the other
hand, W. E. B. Du Bios wanted them to not only do laboring work but to also engage in even
higher education, which if they do would enable them to be successful, and not only that but receive
full citizenship as well as respect. Which would enable them to work in a better place and earn more
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16. Booker T. Washington vs. W.E.B. Dubois Essay
When it all comes down to it, one of the greatest intellectual battles U.S. history was the legendary
disagreement between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois. This intellectual debate sparked
the interest of the Northerners as well as the racist whites that occupied the south. This debate was
simply about how the blacks, who just gained freedom from slavery, should exist in America with
the white majority. Even though Washington and DuBois stood on opposite sides of the fence they
both agreed on one thing, that it was a time for a change in the treatment of African Americans. I
chose his topic to write about because I strongly agree with both of the men's ideas but there is some
things about their views that I don't agree with. Their...show more content...
Washington was often looked at as an "Uncle Tom" because of the things he did, such as advising
blacks to remain in the South and to avoid politics and protest in favor of economic self–help and
industrial education. He eventually became a powerful political boss, friend of white businessmen
like Andrew Carnegie, and advisor of some presidents. Washington publicly accepted without protest
racial segregation and voting discrimination, but secretly financed and directed many court suits
against such proscriptions of civil rights. To Washington his ideas was obvious and clear, by earning
the respect of whites they would either help blacks or deal with their crime against humanity that
will eventually bring them down. To me it is obvious why many whites agreed with Washington and
many blacks disagreed with him. I agree with Washington by not demanding our rights because
making demands would be met with opposition and nothing will be done that is necessary to bring
blacks up to the equality line. On the contrary, I disagree with the way that Washington believed that
blacks should just ignore how whites treated us with violence then turn around and try to earn their
respect. African Americans during this time wasn't trying to hear this because just 3 years before his
speech in Atlanta, 156 blacks were lynched in one year alone. To the blacks of that time, forgetting
that
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17. W. E. B. Dubois
During the time of segregation, African Americans did not feel very welcomed in the country that
they only knew as home. The United States was meant to be a land of the free and home of the
great but blacks still had to fight for their rights. White Americans used everything in their power to
inhibit black Americans to be a part of the society. Although it was a very hard fought battle between
southern whites and African Americans, there were some black nationalists that helped lead blacks
to success in education, financing, and even politics. One of these extraordinary leaders that African
Americans looked up to during this time of hostility, was W.E.B Du Bois. He was a very active
nationalist who wanted to challenge white supremacy...show more content...
In 1900, W.E.B Du Bois participated in the Pan–African Conference in London which didn't have
any immediate action but, it most certainly attracted a lot of attention. Over the next few decades,
there were numerous Pan–African Congresses. According to "A Negro Nation Within the Nation" by
Walter Rucker, it states, "after World War I, President Woodrow Wilson announced his Fourteen
Points, which was the idea that nations deserve the right to autonomy and sovereignty" (Rucker 42).
Just a year after President Wilson's declaration, the First Pan–African Congress was arranged in Paris
in 1919. This was a call for more independence for colonized Africa. Du Bois was responsible for
writing a manifesto of the Congress, which became the first official statement that favors for an
independent Africa. The most significant Pan–African Congress was the fifth congress which was
set to meet in Manchester, England in 1945. Kwame Nkrumah was one of the delegates that
attended the meeting and Du Bois was selected as the International President of this Fifth Pan
African Congress and was universally recognized as the true father of the Pan–Africanist Movement
(Rucker 44). This was the very time in which Europe had been vulnerable because of the Second
World War. The fifth congress helped Kwame Nkrumah established a footing where he made various
liberation movements and by 1957 Ghana
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18. The Life and Writings of W.E.B. DuBois Essay
William Edward Burkhardt DuBois, whom we all know as W.E.B. DuBois; was a novelist,
public speaker, poet, editor, author, leader, teacher, scholar, and romantic. He graduated from
high school at the age of 16, and was selected as the valedictorian, being that he was the only black
in his graduating class of 12. He was orphaned shortly after his graduation and was forced to fund
his own college education. He was a pioneer in black political thoughts and known by many as a
main figure in the history of African–American politics. W.E.B. DuBois attended Fisk University,
where he was awarded a scholarship after he graduated high school. Fisk University was located in
Nashville, Tennessee. While attending this University, this is where he saw...show more content...
He was the first black to receive that type of degree from Harvard University. DuBois' controversial
career as an activist forced him to live and work on both sides of the Mason–Dixon Line. From all of
these experiences, his put his interest in the use of science and used his scholarship toward learning
about the struggles for social justice. DuBois realized that science could be a powerful tool in his
quest to transform society and obtain equality for all African Americans. He then went on to Berlin
where he continued his studies at the University of Berlin. DuBois spent two years in Berlin, where
he became the first African American to graduate with a Ph.D. and finished his dissertation . Before
he became head of the sociology department in Atlanta University, he taught at several universities
before actually settling there. The Philadelphia Negro: A Social Study (1899) was one of his works
during this time period; it was a famous sociological study. DuBois examined the city's African
American population as he made recommendations on a number of things, including school reform.
DuBois stated that the "problem was in my mind a matter of systematic investigation and intelligent
understanding. The world was thinking wrong about race, because it did not know. The ultimate evil
was stupidity" . DuBois knew that with the power of research to reveal the truth, such as natural
laws; that in turn would order up a plan of
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19. W.E.B. Dubois Essay
W.E.B. Dubois The great African American intellectual W.E.B. Dubois was born in the post
–Civil
War era. Being born at this time encouraged him to fight for equal rights for blacks. At this time,
blacks were still suppressed very greatly. Dubois, having had lived in an all black community,
experienced racism first–hand in the North (Donalson, 558). The hardships of the African American
race...show more content...
Then, in 1896 he accepted a job at University of Pennsylvania conducting research on the
Philadelphia slums. His studies led to his book, The Philadelphia Negro. This writing merely
explained crime in black communities. He explained that blacks were not the cause of crime, just a
symptom (Hynes, 12). Dubois had a deep analytical perspective for the black culture as a whole. He
began to teach economics at Atlanta University (Wager, 3). In this time period, Dubois
accomplishments were uncommon for an African American. He had to be tenacious and
goal–oriented to make such accomplishments. In 1903, Dubois published The Soul of Black Folks
(Salty's Stamps, 4). This book illustrates how demeaning it is for blacks to beg for basic rights
that inherently belong to them. This book encouraged him to meet with black scholars whom he
named the "talented tenth." In 1905, he began to meet with these scholars to discuss civil rights
issues (Lewis, 1). These meeting were known as the Niagara Movement (Lewis, 1). After five years
of meeting the NAACP was formed and Dubois was Director of Publicity and Research (Lewis, 1).
In 1919, he sailed to France to be an NAACP observer of the Peace Conference (Lewis, 2). While in
France he decided to form four Pan–African congresses which failed. Dubois did not gain very much
support in his fight for civil rights. He was opposed to the
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20. W.E.B. DuBois's Thoughts on Education Essay
W.E.B. DuBois's Thoughts on Education
The Souls of Black Folk, written by W.E.B DuBois is a collection of autobiographical and historical
essays containing many themes. DuBois introduced the notion of "twoness", a divided awareness of
one's identity. "One ever feels his two–ness – an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two
unreconciled stirrings: two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keep it
from being torn asunder" (215). There are many underlying themes in this collection of essays. One
of the themes that DuBois speaks on extensively is education.
DuBois stresses the importance of education amongst the black race. He believes that African
Americans should be educated in order to guide...show more content...
Washington believes that blacks, starting with so little, would have to begin at the bottom and work
up gradually to achieve positions of power and responsibility. DuBois understands Washington's
program, but believes that this is not the solution. DuBois shows opposition to Washington's
approach, not his intent.
In the fictional story, "Of the Coming of John", DuBois rebukes Washington's ideas of subordination
to whites in order to obtain support for black education. The dominant white male of the story speaks
the following statement, "Now I like the colored people, and sympathize with all this reasonable
aspirations; but you and I both know, John, that in this country the Negro must remain subordinate
and can never expect to be equal of white men" (373). This is a fundamental sentiment that white
people in the American society during that time held on to. In this essay W.E.B DuBois shows how
this black man, John, was treated in his hometown after returning home with a college education.
Both blacks and whites reject his new views. However, to whites the black John represents a
devaluing of the college education. If a black person can have a college degree, then having a
college degree must not have value. After this reaction from society John started to think, "John
Jones, you're a natural born fool" (369). This behavior from society kept the average black person
stagnant, and unmotivated.
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