Progressive Reform
Despite the creation of the NAACP in 1909, many progressive reformers tended to be Anglo-Saxon elitists critical of the lack of accomplishments of African Americans, and other diverse, ethnic groups. At first led by the most influential black leader of the day, Booker T. Washington, and later continued with scholar and activist W.E.B. Du Bois, African American reforms were beginning mold together and take form. Washington and Du Bois, achieved success in the reforms of blacks in America, all while holding different strategies and perspectives. Although Booker T. Washington's methods were appropriate in that past time, W. E.B Du Bois had some good points that fit in more with modern society. Their success however contained errors in spite that Washington's views were that of a realists and Du Bois of an idealist. Born a slave, Booker T. Washington was an educated man who gave his life to promote the education of blacks, and believed strongly that education was the first step to acceptance. He was not wealthy, and saved pennies for his own schooling by sleeping under a board sidewalk. Washington started an industrial school for blacks in Tuskegee, Alabama, teaching the students useful trades; where it was said by one Black acti
As the White Anglo Saxons were ahead of the races during this period, African Americans needed to strive and work hard in order to prove to whites, that they were equal. Washington felt that the need for education was to help teach other blacks to learn skills in jobs to earn money and socially adapt. Therefore, the educating blacks would elevate them in society's opinion, and eventually prejudice would die away. The attitude of Du Bois was more radical than that of Washington's as he demanded the whites to change their laws and behaviors to create a more egalitarian society suitable for the advancement of the black race. Washington and his accomplishments, he felt that blacks needed political power to protect what they had and what they earned. Du Bois, however, believed education must be used to teach the Black community on how to be and act proper as well as be cultural. To achieve harmony and advancing, both races would have to change. Even though both Washington and Du Bois supported the need for schools, they however differed in ways of using education. "In all things as that are purely social," he told attentive whites, "we can be separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress. Fortune from the Christian Recorder said it best when he wrote how practical Washington's views were as the young people were learning the "work of life". Along with the increased amount of education of African Americans, the illiteracy rate among Blacks in America improved about 15% from the year 1890 to 1910. Instead he argued that the black community, fight for the right to vote, for civic equality, and for higher education. Both men also however had mistakes in the action and change such as in education. He sought that African Americans change to that of a white man's values such as frugality, cleanliness, and personal morality.
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