1. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois
In times of struggle and injustice, different philosophies and views are bound to appear and rise up. Such a case is with the injustice of blacks, which was met with the ideas and philosophies of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois, with Du Bois having the upper hand in my opinion. Although both of them offer valid points and arguments, I feel that Du Bois has a more convincing and beneficial philosophy than Washington.
Du Bois takes a semi-radical approach to the issue of civil rights with a direct philosophy. Washington however, is subtle and takes a less radical approach but at the same time I felt that it wasn't taking a big enough step. It was taking tiny baby steps when a normal step, not a gigantic leap, was necessary and suitable. Washington's ideas also dealt with blacks being lower than whites and how they would do whatever was beneficial for the whites. This kind of attitude would make the whites feel superior and make it harder for the blacks to be recognized as equal. Du Bois, on the other hand, directly says what needs to be done and its said in a manner than is straightforward and without anger or a sense that it is being demanded. It is also done in a manner that I feel wasn't overbearing but should be things that all whites should know in the first place, so therefore it wouldn't be anything surprising. I"m sure some whites were angry and dismissed this document but I"m also pretty sure that some whites sympathized and realized that all Du Bois pointed out and said was true. It may have been a bit too strong but I think its better to take a larger step than to take a smaller one.
Whenever there is struggle, there is hope and philosophies that embody that hope. The civil rights issue was no exception as views and ideas were set up and in particular, Du Bois" philosophy. Through a direct approach and without any "beating around the bush", the sensitive issues can be dealt with properly and without subtleness or extreme caution and slowness which in turn may have a negative effect instead.
And, by the same token, those who hold Washington in higher regard look at Dubois as an intellectual radical; a critic who could do no better than to attempt to knock down the pillars of what Washington had striven to build. ... So to view Dubois" narrative we must first turn the page back, as it were, to Booker T. ... The strangest - and most important - feeling that one takes away from Up From Slavery is that the book isn't at all about Booker T. ... Washington sees disadvantaged blacks as almost having more of a chance to better themselves - " the Negro youth must work harder and m...
W.E.B. ... During this period an ideological controversy grew between DuBois and Booker T. ... The culmination of the conflict came in 1903 when DuBois published his now famous book, The Souls of Black Folks. The chapter entitled "Of Booker T. ... Nevertheless, it still was more than enough to incur Washington's continued contempt for him. ...
It was more of an attitude of taking what one can get, which can also be paralleled to Booker T. Washington's argument for African-American rights in 1895. ... Wright's views can be paralleled to the argument made by W.E.B. DuBois in 1905. ... In some ways, the job situation for Wright and African-Americans was better than the situation for Jurgis Rudkus and the New Immigrants of the late nineteenth century. ...