Differing Views on Future of African-
Americans
African-American Experience 2008

 Both viewed their way as the best for
African-Americans
 Positions were in opposition to each other
 Washington’s views had more support from whites

 Graduated from
Hampton Institute
 Born as slave in 1856
 Founded Tuskegee
Institute in 1881
 Strongly influenced by education and training received at Hampton

 Surest advancement was through skills and manual labor
 Lead to respect from whites
 Students did not earn
BA’s
 Earned support from whites (Carnegie)

 Reassured whites that cooperation between races did not endanger segregation
 Claimed blacks more loyal than immigrants
 Urged blacks to struggle steadily rather than make demands too quickly
 If blacks made economic progress, whites would be more willing to grant rights
 Advised blacks to avoid politics, though he was heavily involved

 “The wisest among my race understand that agitation of questions of social equality is the extremist folly, and that progress in the enjoyment of all the privileges that will come to us must be the result of severe and constant struggle rather than artificial forcing.”

 Tried to persuade owners to improve conditions on segregated trains/waiting rooms
 Supported case against grandfather clauses
 Supported literacy tests if equitable
 Opposed women’s suffrage
 Only occasionally attacked lynching

 Born in mostly white
NE town (Mass)
 Earned PhD from
Harvard (first)
 Impatient with those who ignored racism
 Understood he and
Washington came from different backgrounds

 Written in 1903
 Series of essays, many of which attack
Washington and his methods
 Seminal literary work of movement
 “Two-ness” (double consciousness)

 Did not disagree with Washington’s training, but believed he opposed ambition
 Securing of rights was responsibility of black elite
 Education was key
 “Education must not simply teach work- it must teach Life…”

 Led by Dubois-1905
 Demanded end to segregation, better treatment/rights
 Was supposed to be
Dubois’ answer to
Tuskegee Machine
 Undermined by
Washington

 Formed in 1909
 Focused on judicial system (use cases to change laws)
 Led protest marches
 Failed to get antilynching leg. Passed
 Washington attempted to ruin the org. but failed

 What are the pros and cons: working within the system or radical change?
 Comparisons can be drawn between
Washington/MLK and WEB
Dubois/Malcolm X
 Does economic power lead to political power?