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This philosophical study will define the opposing counter-narratives of W.E.B. Dubois and Marcus Garvey in terms of African activist identity. Dubois was raised in Barrington, Massachusetts and educated at Harvard University and the University of Berlin during the 1880s. Dubois was a leader of the Niagara Movement, which fought for equal rights as a co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909. Dubois is known for his famous, The Soul of Black Folk, which dictated the education of black men in a predominantly white society. Marcus Garvey was also well-educated at St. Ann's Bay in Jamaica, and when of the appropriate age, he attended Birkbeck College in London. Garvey published Message to the …show more content…
Washington, which called a for a “way of life” through the increased education of African activists. In this manner, Washington defines this system as part of a unique perspective on the education of Africans in their own communities: “Those who constantly direct attention to the Negro youth’s moral weaknesses, and compare his advancement with that of white youths, do not consider the influence of the memories which cling about the old family homesteads” (Washington 25). In this manner, Washington sought to form a uniquely African-American identity for young people to follow in the community, which Dubois adapted in this 19th century perspective: “Mr. Washington first indissolubly linked these things; he put enthusiasm, unlimited energy…and changed it from a by-path into a veritable Way of Life” (Dubois 29). This is the historical perspective defines anew lifestyle in which education would play a major role in raising the condition of Africa-American males, yet Garvey would expand upon early 20th century themes of collectivist ideology within the black community. In this way, the proletariat influence of Marx certainly had an appeal for Garvey in terms of supporting the “Common man”, yet there were inherently “white ideas about African identity in the 20th century. However, the worker orientated themes of “communism” and other collective ideologies would not …show more content…
In this mode, the uneducated black man would not be able to participate at the same level as a well-educated activist in the community. This is a extremely divisive method of “intellectual development”, which would limit community participation. In contrast to this view, Garvey sought to include all men from differing walks of life to contribute to the education and well-being of the entire African global community. Surly, this way would pose a more powerful sense of unity and collectivism in the community, which might bring a larger movement. However, Garvey’s focus on intellectualism does not take into account the necessity of leadership, which could recruit better intellectuals to form and manage these organizations. In these ways, Dubois and Garvey present a polarized view of African activist identity, which tends to support either a intellectual elite or a collective movement in the black community. Certainly, the overall objective of these philosopher is dictated by the various levels of education that can recruit intelligent young men of color into mass-movement organizations at the national and international levels. The purpose of Dubois and Garvey’s proposals seek to bring education as a ;’way of life” for all black people to improve themselves in an oppressive white hegemonic
W.E.B. DuBois was an educator, writer, scholar, civil rights activist, Pan-Africanist, and later in his life a communist, whose life goal was to gain equal rights for all African Americans around the world. DuBois’ writings were mostly forgotten till the late 1960s, because of his involvement in communism and his absence during the civil rights movement in America. Even though his writings were temporarily forgotten because of his tarnished reputation, his legacy has since been restored allowing for his writings to be reprinted becoming a major influence for both academics and activists. DuBois’ accomplishments include his part in the creation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and his support for the civil rights movement advocating for equal social and economic rights for all African Americans. His accomplishments and efforts in order to gain equal treatment for African Americans outweigh his shortcomings and failures.
While growing up in the midst of a restrictive world, education becomes the rubicon between a guileless soul and adulthood. In the excerpt from W.E.B. Du Bois’ The Souls of Black Folk, Du Bois provides a roadmap for African Americans to discover and understand themselves through the pursuit of knowledge, self-awareness, and authenticity. The excerpt is a significant part of the essay because it also speaks for the modern day pursuit of knowledge, self-awareness, and authenticity, an indispensable path into finding one’s self.
W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington were two predominant African American leaders, whose views on how to progress the African American community both socially and economically sharply differed. Their perception of education, its purpose, advantage, and limit for African Americans, varied greatly. Booker T. Washington believed in training African Americans to develop crafting, industrial and farming skills, while W.E.B. Du Bois believed in educating only the top 10% of the African American community. Their views polarized the African American community into two distinct groups with very different views on education and progress. Together, these two leading points of views are part of the cause of the African American low level of labor force participation, high unemployment rate, and low rate of higher education completion.
* W.E.B. DuBois. The American People Creating a Nation and a Society. Gary B. Nash And Julie Roy Jeffrey. 4th ed. Brief. New York: Longman, 2003. 469,481-82,517.
Education is an ideological mechanism African-Americans used to enhance their social standing in the United States soon after liberation. During the period of W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington, the sort of education explored by African- Americans was the focus of intense discussion. Washington was an enthusiastic supporter of industrial/vocational education while DuBois supported both higher and industrial education, but greatly emphasized on the higher education (Ogbu 23). A lot of people in the Black society accepted DuBois’s stand on higher education remained the better proposal because it was thought to uplift the community. They thought that Washington’s approach was inefficient and left the whole race exposed to violation by White Americans.
Chapter four talks about the differing views between Du Bois and Washington regarding African American advancement. Though a black man himself, Washington valued practices which ultimately kept African Americans oppressed, whereas Du Bois valued equality. Chapter five details the way in which Park contributed to the concealment of Du Bois’ importance and distinguishes that the reason for this power stems from Park’s racial privilege. In chapters six and seven, Morris explores the relationship between Du Bois and Weber. He shows how Weber took Du Bois seriously and was influenced by him. Morris exemplifies this by telling how Weber requested several publications, such as the one addressing race-to-caste relationships. Requesting these publications reflects Weber’s true feelings; that he trusts and respects Du Bois as a serious sociologist. Their collaboration is an example of a counterhegemonic intellectual network, which Morris explains to be a result of systematic racial exclusion and failure to be recognized (Morris, 2015, p. 187). In the concluding chapter 8, Morris makes his own contribution to sociology by creating a way in which scholars could critically analyze the concepts, evaluations, and contributions of intellectuals, especially those marginalized, to ensure they are not erased from
Two great leaders of the black community in the late 19th and 20th century were W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington. However, they sharply disagreed on strategies for black social and economic progress. Their opposing philosophies can be found in much of today’s discussions over how to end class and racial injustice, what is the role of black leadership, and what do the 'haves' owe the 'have-nots' in the black community. Booker T. Washington, educator, reformer and the most influential black leader of his time (1856-1915) preached a philosophy of self-help, racial solidarity and accommodation. He urged blacks to accept discrimination for the time being and concentrate on elevating themselves through hard work and material prosperity.
Booker T. Washington’s ideologies for economic advancement and self-help played a major role in his approach to fight for equal rights. By founding the Tuskegee Institute in Mound Bayou, he created a university that was segregated for black students and encouraged higher educational standards (Meier 396). These students were also encouraged to follow the social system of segregation in order to achieve political status in the United States. In an interview with reporter Ralph McGill, Du Bois recalls that in the process of obtaining funds for the Tuskegee Institute “Washington would promise [white philanthropists] happy contented labor for their new enterprises. He reminded them there would be no strikers” (Du Bois, qtd. in McGill 5). This shows the nature of Washington’s contradicting approach in obtaining political power by embracing the system of segregation and working with white leaders rather than against them to achieve his goals.
W.E.B. DuBois attempted to tell African Americans what they should learn throughout schooling. He thought academics were of the utmost importance in order for African Americans to exist socially in society. Through academic schooling, he thought that 10 percent of the African American society would succeed and move on to become doctors, lawyers, politicians, etc.; they were called “the talented ten.” The subject material that would advance their learning would consist of the “trivium” and the “quadrivium.” The...
These two men were both dedicated to solving the difficult problems African Americans experienced in the post-reconstruction South. Both DuBois and Washington wanted economic prosperity for African Americans, but they differed on what would be done to achieve this. Both men focused on education as a key to the improvement of black lives, but they differed on the form education should take. The true difference in these men’s extremely different routes to better the lives of African Americans after reconstruction is a product of their extremely different backgrounds. In this essay I will examine the documents, “1895 Atlanta Exposition Speech” by Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois’, “The Souls of Black Folks” in order to determine the paths that each of these men took towards the advancement of African Americans, and the reasons behind these methods.
To understand the viewpoint of W.E.B Dubois and his argument for having a well-educated African American population, his own background and life experience of the struggle to be African and American must be considered. DuBois is born in the north in Massachusetts where the so-called Negro problem paralyzing the
African-Americans in the 1920’s lived in a period of tension. No longer slaves, they were still not looked upon as equals by whites. However, movements such as the Harlem renaissance, as well as several African-American leaders who rose to power during this period, sought to bring the race to new heights. One of these leaders was W.E.B. DuBois, who believed that education was the solution to the race problem. The beliefs of W.E.B. DuBois, as influenced by his background, had a profound effect on his life work, including the organizations he was involved with and the type of people he attracted. His background strongly influenced the way he attacked the "Negro Problem." His influence continues to affect many people.
“It should come as no surprise that Washington’s historical conflict culminated as a struggle between him and DuBois” (Gibson III 66). To say the least, both men were very active in the upbringing of African-Americans, but their differences in displaying out the solution was what brought them apart. Washington wanted the education system to enforce industrial teachings that started at lower economic power, while DuBois had more abstract ideas of equality and voting for African-Americans. Washington was conservative in the matter of African-American inclusion into society, hoping that given enough time and progress, people would learn to accept them, rather than fight for social power like what DuBois stood for. Despite Washington’s program that appealed to White-Americans, he was involved in politics and spoke about the disfranchisement of African-Americans. His idea of easing tensions with the superior gathered him more publicity, as to DuBois’s plan of protesting. As a result, DuBois’s idea became more prominent as it branches into what we know now as the civil rights movement. Historically, Washington and DuBois has made a name for themselves, through their intentions for the good will of African-Americans, and that is something that will always hold true in these two notorious
Two of the most influential people in shaping the social and political agenda of African Americans were Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Dubois, both early twentieth century writers. While many of their goals were the same, the two men approached the problems facing African Americans in very different ways. This page is designed to show how these two distinct thinkers and writers shaped one movement, as well as political debate for years afterward.
Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. Du Bois Impact the Fight for Racial Equality. The beginning of the early twentieth century saw the rise of two important men into the realm of black pride and the start of what would later become the movement towards civil rights. Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. Du Bois influenced these two aforementioned movements, but the question is, to what extent? Marcus Garvey, born in Jamaica, came to the United States on March 23, 1916 to spread "his program of race improvement" (Cronon, 20). Originally, this was just to gain support for his educational program in Jamaica, but would soon become much more.