Dubois criticized Washington for neglecting the issue of civil rights, and argued that it had to be addressed immediately. Dubois said that since Washington introduced his policies, black disfranchisement, the legal status of blacks as inferior citizens, and the withdrawal of aid from institutions for higher education of blacks were expedited. Washington’s policies were paradoxical, and without rights and access to higher education, it was almost impossible for blacks to fulfill their potential. Dubois claims that the black American’s situation is caused by racial prejudice, and that while Washington is right in saying that blacks should strive to better themselves, they can only do so when supplemented by policies and institutions that support their development. As such, equal rights were imperative to the improvement of the black