Maia Pramuk U.S. History Green Group October 6, 2013 W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T.

Washington were both important black leaders of their time. Both men were devoted for the same outcome: equality for the newly freed Black community. Both men were political spokesmen and important leaders for the black community, which was at that time facing segregation and lack of rights. They each believed that formal education for the Black community would uplift them, and bring hope and equality, being educated men themselves. Although they each wanted the same ultimate outcome, the strategies and philosophy with which they planned to achieve racial equality, were radically different. Booker T. Washington was born in The south (Hale's Ford, Virginia) as a slave. Early on in life he learned the wrath of southern prejudice. He believed that African Americans should earn the respect of others through improving their own education, economic standings, and becoming a skilled worker. He believed economic success could lead to social acceptance, but it would take time. "At the bottom of education, at the bottom of politics, even at the bottom of religion, there must be for our race economic independence," wrote Washington who exemplifies here how above all else, in order to move up in the world, one must fine tune their talents, learn to support themselves, and flourish independently. His tactic for improving conditions were much more conservative than others, he considered economic might more important than creating political conflict over social equality and political rights. He tried to move toward complete equality in a slower and more subtle way than Dubois.

W.E.B. Dubois had a much more immediate and controversial (at the time) approach to racial

rights. He was born in the north (Great Barrington, Massachusetts) as a free man; he never really faced the evils of southern prejudice. He believed that without government representation and political power, the African Americans would face inequality no matter how much money, property, or success they had. In one of his most important books, "The Souls of Black Folk," he criticizes Washington's strategies saying "Mr. Washington distinctly asks that black people give up, at least for the present, three things, -- First political power, Second, insistence on civil rights, Third, higher education of Negro youth, -- and concentrate all their energies on industrial education, the accumulation of wealth, and the conciliation of the south." Dubois believed the best and brightest of black men, or "the talented tenth," should be provided special(liberal arts) education, to then become leaders for the rest of the African American community. Dubois believed in order to reach equality, you needed political power and in order to get that you'd have to fight for it. Washington became the more popular and iconic of the two even though his strategies don't fit our generations need for instant gratification. During his time, Dubois was, to some, considered an anarchist because of his unimaginable goals and how immediately he expected the change. Yet, his strategies more closely match the way we think about racial equality and social justice today. DuBois' "Ceaseless agitation and insistent demand for equality" better matches modern beliefs; people today are much less willing (and see less need) to take a slow but steady angle on things, and today we care far less about potential brewing conflict with the south. During his time Dubois was an idealist who had tactics and goals which seemed ahead of their time. It was his perspective on fighting for civil rights that led directly into Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. However, in the end, it's Washington who is more well known. His is the face associated with many civil rights acts rather than Dubois, and he is the one that

has schools, libraries, and streets named after him. Booker T. Washington had a more understandable and reasonable strategy for his time, which, due to the fact that he understood the cruelties of the south, worked to slowly earn respect from the white establishment over a long period of time. Dubois wanted an immediate change and believed that changes can be made by gaining power, protesting and fighting for what you want. The two had the same vision, but had very different ways of going about handling how they'd achieve the desired change. Dubois was a visionary of his time and although people didn't really understand him back then, he used strategies we use today to make positive change in the world.