Jansikwe Medina-Tayac

Booker T. Washington vs W.E.B DuBois

Booker T. Washington and W.E.B DuBois were important leaders during the early 20th
century. Washington believed that economic independence for African Americans should come
before political rights. DuBois believed that political rights and equality for African Americans
should come first. DuBois views on racial equality are more relevant in the context of America
today. Solid claim

Booker T.Washington was born a slave in Virginia. He worked very hard in order to get a
good education and job. He later founded the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute which
trained African Americans to become teachers (History.com Staff, 3). Washington was selected to
speak at the Atlanta Compromise. It was a great accomplishment to be selected, for the audience
was primarily white. He said, Cast down your buckets where you are. In all things that are
purely social, we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to
mutual progress. He wanted African Americans to accept their place in society and start being
self sufficient. He did want African Americans to get involved in white society. Washington
thought that if African Americans worked hard, theyd eventually be accepted by whites. He was
willing to sacrifice political and voting rights for economic rights (History Staff.com, 3) He was
criticized by DuBois for not demanding equality during a time when Jim Crow laws were
preventing African Americans from voting (Biography.com editors).

DuBois was born free in Massachusetts. He became the first African American to earn a
PhD from Harvard and published the first case study of an African American community. This

was the start of his expansive writing career (Biography.com editors, 3). He later founded the
NAACP, an organization of African Americans that demanded the right to vote, desegregation of
transportation, and all rights that apply to american citizens (History.com staff, 3). During his
Niagara Movement Speech DuBois says, We claim for ourselves every single right that belongs
to a freeborn American, political, civil and social; and until we get these rights we will never
cease to protest and assail the ears of America. DuBois very openly disagreed with Washington
(Biography.com Editors, 3) He did not want African Americans to accept their position in
society, he encouraged them to fight for a better position. Though he had great ideas and views,
he did not stress economic advancement for African Americans.

DuBois views are more relevant to America today. His ideas apply to issues such as
police brutality, arrests, and unfair treatment of African Americans. Though Washingtons beliefs
do apply to issues such as education and the wage gap, the problem of racism still exists. A black
person who is well educated and successful is treated the same or worse as a uneducated white
person. It does not matter how self reliant an African American is, they could still be
discriminated against in America today. W.E.B DuBois believed in fighting for equal rights.
What has made a huge difference in the black community is the civil rights movement and
fighting for fair treatment. About 230 black people have been killed in America this year
(Mapping Police Violence,3). If African Americans have fair treatment and support from the
government, racism will greatly decrease.

Works cited page should be its own page. Solid essay that met most of the rubric. Role of
government was not explored. Why wouldnt a focus on economics be more effective

Works Cited
Biography.com Editors. "Booker T. Washington." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, 24 Nov.
2015. Web. 09 Oct. 2016.

Biography.com Editors. "W.E.B DuBois." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, 8 July 2015. Web. 09
Oct. 2016.
History.com Staff. "Booker T. Washington." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 09
Oct. 2016.
History.com Staff. "W. E. B. Du Bois." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 09 Oct.
2016.
Mapping Police Violence. "Police Have Killed at Least 230 Black People in the U.S. in 2016."
Mapping Police Violence. N.p., 4 Oct. 2016. Web. 09 Oct. 2016.