W.E.B. Dubois: His Vision For Freedom

897 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Racism in America in the 20th century

African Americans during the 1900s lived lives full of uncertainty. They were no longer slaves, but still looked upon by many as inferior to the white race. However in this period of tension, there were men who sought to bring their race to new heights. One of these men was W.E.B Du Bois. Few have influenced the lives of African Americans in such a way as W.E.B Du Bois. The vision he had for African Americans was one that many found great hope in. He sought for the day that his race for finally have civil equality in every aspect of life.

In the time of Du Bois, African Americans may have been considered free but still lacked many civil liberties, that the whites were easily granted. One of the biggest civil liberties they lacked was voting rights. To Du Bois voting for African Americans was one of his greatest hopes, he believed that “with the right to vote goes everything” (Niagara Movement 1). If African Americans could gain this right, the doors to other civil equalities would then open. Nonetheless this was not such an easy tasks, there were so many “flagrant...political scandals that reputable men began to leave politics alone” (Of Sons of Masters 5). The African American men and women had been so put down by the whites, that voting to them became too much of a hassle. Even though views toward voting seemed hopeless, Du Bois spoke out the with the biggest question of them all “It is possible, and probable, the nine million of men can make effective progress in economic lines if they are deprived of political rights” (The Souls of Black Folk 5)? How could African Americans build their lives, if they had no say in any of it? It was clear to Du Bois that voting was essential, without it his people would not be able to li...

... middle of paper ...

...all daily freedoms, the African American people would finally be seen as equal to their white brothers and sisters.

Works Cited

Du Bois, W.E.B. “Niagara Movement Speech.” Teaching American History. 2008. Web. 20 Oct. 2011.

Du Bois, W.E.B. “President Harding and Social Equality.” Teaching American History. 2008. Web. 20 Oct. 2011.

Du Bois, W.E.B. “The Talented Tenth.” Teaching American History. 2008. Web. 20 Oct. 2011.

Du Bois, W.E.B. “Of the Sons of Masters and Man” Teaching American History. 2008. Web. 20 Oct. 2011.

Du Bois, W.E.B. “Chapter III: Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others.” The Souls of Black Folk. 1903. Bartleby.com. 2011. np. 3 Oct. 2011. http://www.bartleby.com/114/3.html. Web.

“Lynching in the Golden Age.” Encyclopedia of American History: The Development of the Industrial United States. Volume VI. Database. Web. 20 Oct. 2011.

Show More
Related

  • Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. DuBoise

    1614 Words  | 4 Pages

    Both Washington and DuBois wanted the same thing for blacks—first-class citizenship—but their methods for obtaining it differed. Because of the interest in immediate goals contained in Washington’s economic approach, whites did not realize that he anticipated the complete acceptance and integration of Negroes into American life. He believed blacks, starting with so little, would have to begin at the bottom and work up gradually to achieve positions of power and responsibility before they could demand equal citizenship—even if it meant temporarily assuming a position of inferiority. DuBois understood Washington’s program, but believed that it was not the solution to the “race problem.” Blacks should study the liberal arts, and have the same rights as white citizens. Blacks, DuBois believed, should not have to sacrifice their constitutional rights in order to achieve a status that was already guaranteed.

    Read More

  • W.E.B. DuBois: Hall of Fame

    943 Words  | 2 Pages

    Alridge, Derrick P. The Educational Thought of W.E.B. Du Bois: An Intellectual History. New York: Teachers College, 2008. Print.

    Read More

  • Of Our Spiritual Strivings Rhetorical Analysis

    702 Words  | 2 Pages

    What is the point of educating the African Americans if all they will be is paid slaves anyhow?, “Lo! we are diseased and dying, cried the dark hosts; we cannot write, our voting is vain; what need of education, since we must always cook and serve?” (par. 11). Du Bois doesn’t understand the issue with African Americans living among, equal to, and determined with the Whites, “Will America be poorer if she replace her brutal dyspeptic blundering with light-hearted but determined Negro humility? or her coarse and cruel wit with loving jovial good-humor? or her vulgar music with the soul of the Sorrow Songs” (par. 12). Du Bois and the African American population are determined to change the mindset of the Whites and America as a whole to be more accepting of African Americans and ultimately

    Read More

  • The Battle of Fox Hill and Toktong Pass

    873 Words  | 2 Pages

    Edward, Rebecca and Henretta, James and Self, Robert. America A Concise History. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin’s, 2012.

    Read More

  • Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois' Common Goal of Equality for African Americans

    1535 Words  | 4 Pages

    * Washington, Booker T. "Up From Slavery." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Nina Baym, General Editor. 6th ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2003. 761.

    Read More

  • The Scholar Denied Chapter Summary

    1448 Words  | 3 Pages

    In his book, The Scholar Denied: W. E. B. Du Bois and the Birth of Modern Sociology (2015), Aldon D. Morris delves

    Read More

  • Ida B. Wells, Booker T, Washington, and W.E.B Dubois

    1245 Words  | 3 Pages

    B., Du Bois W. E. The Souls of Black Folk: Essays and Sketches. New York: Dodd, Mead, 1979. University of Virginia Library. 4 Oct. 2008. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. 37.

    Read More

  • Of the Coming of John by W.E.B. Du Bois

    2251 Words  | 5 Pages

    Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois were very important African American leaders in the United States during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They both felt strongly that African Americans should not be treated unequally in terms of education and civil rights. They had strong beliefs that education was important for the African American community and stressed that educating African Americans would lead them into obtaining government positions, possibly resulting in social change. Although Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois had similar goals to achieve racial equality in the United States, they had strongly opposing approaches in improving the lives of the black population. Washington was a conservative activist who felt that the subordination to white leaders was crucial for African Americans in becoming successful and gaining political power. On the other hand, Du Bois took a radical approach and voiced his opinion through public literature and protest, making it clear that racial discrimination and segregation were intolerable. The opposing ideas of these African American leaders are illustrated in Du Bois’ short story, “Of the Coming of John”, where Du Bois implies his opposition to Washington’s ideas. He shows that the subordination of educated black individuals does not result in gaining respect or equality from the white community. In fact, he suggests that subordination would lead the black community to be further oppressed by whites. However contrasting their views might have been, Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois were significant influential black leaders of their time, who changed the role of the black community in America.

    Read More

  • A Comparison Of W. E. B. Du Bois And James Baldwin

    727 Words  | 2 Pages

    From slavery being legal, to its abolishment and the Civil Rights Movement, to where we are now in today’s integrated society, it would seem only obvious that this country has made big steps in the adoption of African Americans into American society. However, writers W.E.B. Du Bois and James Baldwin who have lived and documented in between this timeline of events bringing different perspectives to the surface. Du Bois first introduced an idea that Baldwin would later expand, but both authors’ works provide insight to the underlying problem: even though the law has made African Americans equal, the people still have not.

    Read More

  • W.E.B. DuBois and the Fight for African-American Equality

    1499 Words  | 3 Pages

    African-Americans in the 1920’s lived in a period of tension. No longer slaves, they were still not looked upon as equals by whites. However, movements such as the Harlem renaissance, as well as several African-American leaders who rose to power during this period, sought to bring the race to new heights. One of these leaders was W.E.B. DuBois, who believed that education was the solution to the race problem. The beliefs of W.E.B. DuBois, as influenced by his background, had a profound effect on his life work, including the organizations he was involved with and the type of people he attracted. His background strongly influenced the way he attacked the "Negro Problem." His influence continues to affect many people.

    Read More

  • History of American Race and Racism

    804 Words  | 2 Pages

    Du Bois’ study of the American race revealed the propaganda about what the American children are being taught today about Reconstruction. This era was two-fold; the entire nation, the North and the South, had to rebuild after the Civil War and the South had to reconstruct the state and society. The facts were falsified in order for the “Southerners” to save face. The three issues taught about the Negroes were that they were ignorant, lazy & dishonest, and responsible for bad government during the Reconstruction process. They were deemed ignorant because they did not know how to read. As slaves, they were not allowed to go to school or even own a book without severe punishment. Because they had no or very low book learning, some Negroes depended on others who took advantage of them. Due to their lack of knowledge, they could not be effective ...

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Book T Washington And Booker T. Dubois

    1522 Words  | 4 Pages

    As he saw it, blacks had been exploited since they were stolen out of Africa, so there was no point in it lasting any longer. This is precisely why his philosophy is still relevant today whereas Washington’s isn’t. In our society, if you aren’t striving for higher education, you’re practically dooming yourself to never really attain any measurable success. Just as Du Bois wanted, there is also an increased effort to have blacks in high positions that transcend black-dominated neighborhoods. However, if there were one critique he would have about the current situation of blacks, it would probably be the lack of immediacy. As a black male, simply walking down the street looking suspicious can get you killed, yet, we haven’t taken an incredibly strong stance against it. Sure, in the age of social media, people post all about these issues, but they don’t actually do anything. Du Bois would urge us as an educated society to act now, as he told the masses when he was alive, and that is exactly why his views prevailed over Washington’s and why he is still relevant

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Booker T Washington's Up From Slavery And The Souls Of Black Folk.

    1468 Words  | 3 Pages

    Du Bois was a scholar activist who proposed lots of solutions for the issue of racism and discrimination. Du Bois was sort of an opposition to Washington’s ideology, as he strongly believes that it can only help to disseminate white’s oppression towards blacks. We can see his dissatisfaction based on his writing with a title On Booker T. Washington and Others. He wrote that Washington’s philosophy was really not a good idea because the white extremists from the south will perceived this idea as blacks’ complete surrender for the request of civil rights and political equality. Du Bois had a different view on this issue if compared to Washington because of their different early lifestyles. Unlike Washington, Du Bois was born free in the North and he did not receive any harsh experienced as a slave himself and was also grew up in a predominantly white area. In his writings, it is obvious that he thought that the most important thing that the black should gain was to have the equality with whites. Regarding the issue of the voting rights, Du Bois strongly believed that it is important for black people to agitate to get the right to vote. He also believed that the disfranchisement of poor men could mean the catastrophe of South’s democracy (Painter 157). In his writing with a title Of Our Spiritual Strivings, he wrote that it was significant for blacks to exercise the right to vote because there were whites that wanted to put them back in their inferior position—and it was

    Read More

  • The Influence of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois on the Writings from the Harlem Renaissance

    2154 Words  | 5 Pages

    Two of the most influential people in shaping the social and political agenda of African Americans were Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Dubois, both early twentieth century writers. While many of their goals were the same, the two men approached the problems facing African Americans in very different ways. This page is designed to show how these two distinct thinkers and writers shaped one movement, as well as political debate for years afterward.

    Read More

  • Of Booker T Washington And Others Summary

    804 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout his essay, Du Bois challenged Booker T. Washington’s policy of racial accommodation and gradualism. In this article Du Bois discusses many issues he believes he sees

    Read More

More about W.E.B. Dubois: His Vision For Freedom

Open Document