Booker T. Washington believes that starting at the bottom of life and accepting others is the route that we as African-Americans should take. He believes that everything should be compromised with agriculture and so forth. W.E.B Dubois the creator of “Talented Tenth” feels as though “The Negro race, like all races, is going to be saved by its exceptional men” (Dubois, paragraph 1). Meaning that he feels like the Negro men should attend college to get further in life, teach the others in their race, and also to get a great education. But when you really think about it at this time in history whites and blacks were not cooperating together so a college education really meant nothing to them. When we speak about the “Negro Problem” we find pros and cons to both sides of the argument. I feel as though Booker T. Washington sees things outside of the box and it makes me agree with him more than Dubois, because he only views things from a Negro perspective because of what he went through. “You misjudge us because you do not know us” (Dubois, paragraph 3) This is very much true but that is the reason why blacks should show whites what the true outlook is on our race without the hatred being displayed. Furthermore, with Booker T. Washington he is willing to compromise black or white. He’s not worrying about pride or what he has been through with slavery, white people, and growing up. Although he knows that it was wrong he knows that there is a god and we should forgive no matter what because we would want to be forgiven for our sins. A lot of people may not agree with Booker T. Washington but I do for reasons that he is not only trying to help his people he is also trying to make the living atmosphere better and show white people that we are worth more than being en-slaved. When he states “Casting down your bucket [among] my people, helping and encouraging them as you are doing on these grounds, and to [the] education of head, hand, and heart, you will find that they will buy your surplus land, make blossom the waste places in your fields, and run your factories.” (Washington, #7) This was a great quote because he is letting them know that casting down their buckets was a good idea for the better of whites and for the blacks in the South. Booker T. knows that moving to North looking for better jobs and freedom was not a good thing to do at the time because there are still white people in the North who are not willing to compromise. This means the blacks would be freed for nothing so it is better for them to stay in the South. “It is in the South that the Negro is given a man’s chance in the commercial world, and in nothing is this Exposition more eloquent than in emphasizing this chance.” (Washington, #4) When there is opportunity for compromise you should go for it because anything is better than living life as a slave even if it means befriending the enemies. So when it is said that everyone will be looked at in the same manner and as one I disagree very much because, everyone has their own different talents and appearance which makes them differ from one another rather the person was white or black. So with that being said place yourself in both men footsteps and see if you would come out with the same decision after looking at the big picture. Do you feel like Booker T. Washington was wrong for wanting to compromise with the white people after all they put blacks through?
Work citied
Booker T. Washington, “The Atlanta Compromise,” Speech, September 18, 1895, accessed Feb. 13, 2011.
W.E.B. Dubois, “The Talented Tenth,” September 1903, accessed Feb. 13, 2011.
samirradavis 
I agree with you completely. I believe mr. Washington was thinking about what the Africans can do as of now before trying to jump head first into something they might get knock down for. I beleieve he want the best for his people but in order to do so, maybe they should start at something that they are good at then work their way up. The North didn’t have jobs for them that they knew how to do because it was a whole different hemisphere.
Yes, I too agree that the argument of Booker T. Washington was more beneficial than that of W.E.B DuBois. DuBois makes very intellegent statements, that can be applied to help out the African American race, however, this approach of higher education and the “Talented Tenth” leading the rest of the race, was just not the best strategy for the time period. Blacks were already viewed as inferior. Because it was such a struggle for “blacks” or slaves to get an education, how would this approach truly work? Furthermore, the casting down of the buckets(the metaphor Washington referred to for both races) shows that Washington is appealing to not only his people, but the whites as well. Because we were in the given situation, appealing to both races is exactly what was needed. Getting the whites to accept blacks as a race and as people, with the same rights was the first step. Without equality what is education? If you are educated, and cannot move any further beyond your education, what is the significance? Clearly, it was important to gain the rights and acceptance of the whites in order to prosper as a race.
I sided with DuBois on this argument. After discussing it in class I understand what Washington was saying better. I don’t think Washington was wrong for wanting to compromise with the white people, but I think Washington’s plan was a short term plan while DuBois had a long term plan, that can still be used today.
I also side with Dubois on this argument. To me, Washington only wanted blacks to do more labor, which was something that they were known for because it was still slavery. It seems as though he didn’t want blacks to grow as people and not only better themselves but better thier race by getting a higher education and going to college. Washington was thinking about the present instead of thinking about the future and what it will bring like Dubois was.
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Pro. P.
I don’t see it as a right or wrong thing. They had different experiences and these experiences shaped their perspectives. The truth of the matter, compromise or not – Whites (not all) were/are not putting themselves in a place where they would WANT to feel they are “equal” to Blacks. This still exists today. The education that was provided then was to benefit Whites – not too much has changed now. A large number of Blacks (with an educational background) are still out of work at a rate ___ times as high as whites. 87% of teachers are White, yet the majority of students in America of a multi-racial/ethnic background. There was a population that was prosperous before and (not so much) after the Great Reconstruction Era; this same population was eventually wiped out, removed taken advantage of. This is lack of education that would build spiritual intellects.
I am just beginning to educate myself on post Slavery ideas better. Would like to start there and trace ideas and movements, to have the background knowledge.
Started by reading most of Up from Slavery from interlibrary loan. Hoping to get to check it back out and finish it soon. Hoping to read about other post Slavery leaders and arguments in their own words.
I want to get a handle on whether Washington and DuBois were the most influential of their time. Were most folks in one camp or the other? Were there lesser known influences that made an impact?
From my initial look at it, my impression is that Washington was more a southern, ex-slave, Everyman kind of philosophy. DuBois represented more northern, upper class intellectual. I haven’t read DuBois yet. But it does seem both Washington and DuBois camps’ philosophies were/are needed. Every group needs to build a strong middle class from the roots up and build up a leadership class- like elders- who share in the cultural wisdom of their groups and make some decisions. But it looks like some folks saw them as incompatible.