Protest or

Accomodationism
1880 – 1915

African Americans have always disagreed

amongst themselves over ways in which
they should relate to white Americans and
how the black situation could be improved.
An early example of divisions among
leading black spokespersons can be seen
with
Ida B Wells, Booker T Washington & WEB
Du Bois.
This chapter looks at their lives and careers
and invites consideration of two questions:
 Questions
How much did Wells, Washington & Du
Bois help their fellow blacks?

Who was right – Washington

(accomodationism) or Wells & Du
Bois (protest)?
 Key Dates
1868 – Northern whites established Hapton Institute to educate freed blacks
1881 – Booker T Washington appointed Principal of Tuskegee
1883 – Booker T Washington first black to address national education conference
1887 – Tenessee Supreme Court decided against Wells in railroad carriage
segregation case
1892 – Ida B Wells had to leave the South because of her anti-lynching campaign
1895 – Booker T Washington’s ‘Atlanta Compromise’ speech
1896 – Establishment of National Association of Colored Women
1897 – W.E.B. Du Bois became a professor at Atlanta University
1900 – Booker T Wahington established National Negro Business League
1901 – Booker T Washington dined at the White House
1905 – Establishment of the Niagra Movement to end racial inequality
1906- Brownsville race riots (Texas)
1908 – Springfield Riot – 2000 blacks driven out
1909 – NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)
established
1911 – Booker T Washington’s unsuccessful suit against assault & establishes
National Urban League
1912 – President Woodrow Wilson determined to segregate federal beureaucracy
1915 - Popular pro-Klan movie ‘Birth of a Nation’ released
 Your task
In 3 groups you are going to be responsible for
researching the life, work and influence of one
of the major spokespersons for black rights
during this period:

Ida B Wells
Booker T Washington
W.E.B. Du Bois
 Over the next two lessons you
have to………………………..
1. Produce a mini lesson on your spokesperson which you will
teach to the rest of the group (This must include a starter &
a main activity for the group) Max 15 mins
2. Produce a revision aid to be given out to each member of the
group
3. Work together as a whole group to answer the two questions
mentioned earlier:
a) How much did Wells, Washington & Du Bois help their fellow
blacks?
b) Who was right – Washington (accomodationism) or Wells &
Du Bois (protest)?
4. You must also produce a bibliography of the sources you
used in your research