What is the difference between Eurocentricism and Afrocentricism? Is it merely four words or are the thoughts and ideas, and notions of the race and origin original zed between both? The work of past leaders like Booker T. Washington and W.E. B. Dubois is restricted and regional in a way, but Edward Wilmot Blyden and Marcus Garvey were more on a universal point, covering the entire race and the entire racial problems of not only America but our entire world. .
Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Dubois placed emphasis more on materialistic advancements of Black America. Blyden's idea's and speeches urging a return to Africa and the re-creation of an African Nation, thus propelling Garvey into his political views. There is a line of black leaders that inherited his ideas, directly or indirectly, but by far the standout of Garvey's ways brought forth a comparable scheme to Blyden's "Africa for Africans" type view. When there was desegregation in America, the general trend of African-American political thought had focused on the equality and opportunity of the Black Man within the American society.
He believed more that the past history of Africa is important, but too many dwelled on the past. Blyden and Garvey say that the future of Blacks is in Africa. Blacks are already equal to the white brethren in America and in order to rise of above Blacks must do as the whites did in America. The only difference is blacks should do it everywhere! Sure, there were triumphs of the Civil Rights Movement and it created a somewhat equal society, Blyden instilled that the status of Africa continues to "haunt Black America". Garvey argued Africa is not just about the past it contains the solutions, the answers to what the lost Black race has had no direction toward. Civilization in Africa would not focus on wealth or material things but for our culture and way of life, then disperse out, educate the understanding of the environment and spirituality.
