Booker T Washington Vs Dubois

Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Dubois were black leaders who held similar ideals. They both believed that whites should eventually recognize blacks as their equals and give them rights such as suffrage and economic freedom. Washington and DuBois also acknowledged that blacks were at a disadvantage to whites because of their lack of education and prosperity, so blacks needed whites to “arouse and encourage” them to attain success. However, they held different stances on how blacks should attain this success. Washington believed that blacks should have flattered whites, acted inferior, and played to their self-interest. The best way to do this was to campaign for economic freedom and industrial education so that they could help whites, rather than focus on removing social segregation and gaining the right to vote. But DuBois argued that blacks should show whites how they have been wronging their race. They should demonstrate that it would be beneficial for both races if whites help blacks, rather than appease the whites through flattery and acknowledgment of weakness. Only …show more content…
With economic freedom, blacks will no longer be vulnerable. Instead, with the fruits of their labor, they can be independent and invest in their education. This will lead to more respect and suffrage from the white community. Some whites clearly respect somebody with authority as they did with Washington by allowing him to give the Exposition. Even if whites do not respect the blacks because of a sheer sense of superiority, they will be forced to allow blacks to vote. If they distinguish merely by race and allow an ignorant white man to vote while not allowing an ignorant black man to vote, the black man will seek education and property, while the white man will remain in ignorance. To prevent the black man from becoming superior to the white man, whites will therefore give black men the

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