Booker T. Washington or W.E.B. Du Bois. Who had the better strategy for black social and economic progress?
Here's a link to a PBS website with more information on the two men:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/race/etc/road.html
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~They both had the same goals - but each of them had different ways to achieve them. That’s why it was so hard to come up with a decision!
“Du Bois mocked Washington's color-blind approach, both on practical and ideological grounds. He was simultaneously a believer in race and against racism, biologically and sociologically. Du Bois contended that to ignore racism as manifested by White supremacy "ignores and overrides the central thought of all history." Du Bois further noted:
The history of the world is the history, not of individuals, but of groups, not of nations, but of races. . . . While race differences have mainly followed physical lines, the deeper differences are spiritual. . . . The full complete Negro message of the whole Negro race has not yet been given to the world. . . . As a race we must strive by race organization, by race solidarity, by race unity. . . . We believe it is the duty of Americans of Negro descent, as a body, to maintain their race identity until this mission is accomplished.”
~Here De Bois is saying that race doesn't apply to him at all. He is against racism, and that groups, not individuals must be able to strive and complete their mission; which is to maintain their race identity.
“The critical issue for Washington indeed was that Black people had allowed themselves to believe that they were morally, spiritually, intellectually, economically and socially inferior to Whites, as evidenced by their daily behavior of idleness, ignorance, sexual irresponsibility, and crime. Blacks being entangled in these pathologies have neglected to redeem the time by being all they could be and fulfilling their God-ordained destiny. Thus, Washington held that Du Bois's prescription of activism and agitation to liberate Black people from the bonds of racism, segregation and discrimination was feasible but premature. Washington stated:
In spite of all that may be said in palliation, there is too much crime committed by our people in all parts of the country. We should let the world understand that we are not going to hide crime simply because it is committed by black people.”
~He is simply saying that you cannot hide crime, because it is created by black people.
“However, until his dying day, Du Bois argued that Washington's self-help philosophy for economic and civilization development was extremely untenable unless White racism is vigorously addressed. Its not that Du Bois didn't appreciate the value of personal development--his entire life was a veritable textbook for high intellectual achievement. He held a stronger belief that, in order for Blacks to develop economic opportunities and achieve social equality, they needed legal rights (secured through aggressive litigation and activism). Only then could they make use of economic opportunities to develop their capacities and realize their cultural potential.”
~It's not that he didn't go into deep with his personal views, but he valued his personal development, which were basically high intellectual achievements. He had a stronger view stating that in order for Blacks to develop economic opportunities and achieve social equality, they needed legal rights.
Do you agree with Washington saying that black people created crime or Du Bois who is against racism and ethnic groups needing to maintain their identities?
~ I believe that I would agree with neither because there isn’t a right way to solve this problem, although I would say that they both had great ideas in their own different ways, trying to persuade their theories.
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