Emperor Haile Selassie Essay, Research Paper

Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Dubois each fought for African American civil rights in America, but they each approached the matter of Jim Crow a little different from the other. W.E.B Dubois was big on the idea of integration, whereas Booker T. Washington wanted to keep segregation alive. Washington talked about economic rights for the African American not political, and Dubois was the exact opposite when he talked about political not economic freedom for the African American. They also were opposites on their ideas on education. Dubois said that higher education was a must if the African American was going to be equal to the white man, whereas Washington thought that African Americans needed to have an industrial education if they wanted to become equal to the white man. The only things that these two men seemed to be in agreence on were the idea of self-help and business in the African American community.

If we compare and contrast the two men above we can see there are severe differences. Washington was all about accomadationism, the idea of letting whites maintain power only if African Americans can have jobs and their own lives without lynching and violence. Washington seemed more interested in the normal ninety, the average African American person, whereas Dubois was very assured that the talented tenth, the educated African Americans, were the more important people. Dubois felt that it was imperative to deal with Jim Crow and disfranchisement (the lack of the right to vote), which seemed to be the significant problem at that time. Political rights of African Americans were more important then economic rights and because of this Washington?s approach to handling Jim Crow seems much weaker and without cause. Washington seemed to be unmanly and submissive, or at least that?s what Dubois thought. The problems during Jim Crow were not problems that should be ignored. This kind of passive approach is what Washington was taking and not making much of a headway with.

Today Jim Crow issues are still around staring us in the faces. We need to learn from our ancestors and come together as one. Unity should be the goal of the new millennium. Dubois ideas? and theories are very good and I would definitely follow in his footsteps. I agree that political and civil advancement is the only way that we will achieve social equality in today?s society. I also agree that getting a higher education is key to advancing ourselves as a nation, together as one. Integrating ourselves is the only way, we must see each other for our differences and cherish them, because differences is what gives us each our individuality.