Similarities Between W. E. B. Dubois And Booker T. Washington

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The mid to late 20th century was a tumultuous time where practices were debated and changed. America after the Civil War went through serious change, but the biggest change tat happened was the transition of racism from a state sponsored program to a cultural phenomenon. By the beginning of the 20th century African American leaders began to push themselves into the political atmosphere, pushing for the respect that the African American communities deserved. Much of the accomplishments that happened for African-Americans through much of the 20th century happened because of the actions done by early civil rights activists like W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington. W.E.B. DuBois grew up in New England, where he was put in a very encouraging environment that put an emphasis on attaining education. DuBois did go to college, and for his undergraduate he went to a college in Tennessee where he quickly experienced a different environment than to what he had growing up. This encounter with racism gave him the drive to advocate for the ending of segregation. …show more content…

Washington grew up in slavery and experienced the cruelty of slavery through much of his childhood. Washington’s perception on segregation was similar to DuBois but to attain such a goal Washington wants a more passive approach that included working with Southern state governments to provide long term transitions away from segregation. Washington viewpoint was commonly accepted by his fellow contemporaries, but he did receive criticism from leaders like W.E.B. DuBois who complained that the stance was weak. Dubois in his book The Souls of Black Folk harshly criticizes Washington, saying “Mr. Washington's programme practically accepts the alleged inferiority of the Negro races” (DuBois). The contributions put forward by Booker T. Washington were important in developing financially independent and politically mindful African Americans that would contribute to a greater call for the removal of

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