October 19th, 2012
Document Based Essay #1 : Accommodation versus Reform
Question: Who had a better vision for improving the conditions of African Americans In the early 1900s—Booker T. Washington or W.E.B Dubois ?
500-750 words
In the 19th century -20th century was a time of , a time for freedom African –
Americans
their freedom. Among these who
These two great leaders paved the way for African Americans to acquire true freedom without limitations, however one had a better vision for improving the conditions of African Americans.
Booker T. Washington into slavery and freed in 1865 the Civil War ended . His mother moved them to start their lives as freed slaves. Booker T. Washington was a great leader, educator, author and African American educator. He believed that African Americans should accept discrimination and concentrate on making a name for themselves through hard work and determination that everything would fall into place and equal itself . In his of 1895, he "The wisest among my race understand that the agitation of questions of social equality is the folly, and that progress in the enjoyment of all the privileges that will come to us must be the result of severe and constant struggle rather than of artificial forcing." -- Washington, Atlanta Exposition Address, 1895.
During this time the Jim Crow laws were into play, they required that everything be “separate but equal”. Booker T. Washington avoided antagonizing white Southerners by accommodating himself to follow the Jim Crow laws with no opposition to them. While he did not try to disrupt, Washington did play a major role in politics for African Americans and establishing thousands of small community school and higher institutions for higher learning and education for African Americans.
W.E.B Dubois had another take on what was truly freedom for African Americans. He believed that Washington’s strategy to submit themselves to the white man was just the same a bowing down. During this time, Dubois,a founding member of the NAACP, criticized Washington for not wanting more for African American rights, which then began the Civil Rights Movements. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 did away with discrimination against race, ethnic, national and religious minorities and women. It gave equal voting requirements and ended segregation .
Throught he years there has been so much controversy over who paved the way, whose vision was better for improving conditions for African Americans. After much consideration and going back and forth I have to say that Booker T. Washington had a better vision but slower . His vision was peaceful and dealt with African Americans as well as Whites. He was mixed he dealt with both sides and tried to establish good for both without I do have to say that W.E.B Dubois did get the job done with the establishment of the Civil Rights Act. I cannot down him for giving equality , which is the greatest gift of all. While I believe that hard work and determination speaks louder than words , sometimes taking action reflects progress.
Late
Emancipation of ..
The ending of the Civil War in 1865 marked a turning point for many slaves as they gained
gained was the family of Booker T. Washington and W.E. B. Dubois.
was born
,after
away
and out Address says extremest progression raced so turmoil but
compromise.
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