W.E.B. Du Bois wrote “Herein lies the tragedy of the age: not that men are poor, – all men know something of poverty; not that men are wicked, – who is good? not that men are ignorant – what is Truth? Nay, but that men know so little about men.” This quote perfectly embodies the United States of America, with all of the vicissitude contained within our country’s history. W.E.B. Du Bois describes the real “tragedy of the age” as the plain and simple issue of men (people) not fully understanding themselves or as an extension, other people. He goes on to describe other issues of the era such as poverty, evil, and ignorance but yet he does not believe these to be the prevailing dilemma. Poverty has been a prevailing issue in the United States and …show more content…
While these are three primary issues during this time period in America’s history, W.E.B. Du Bois argues the root of these issues is simply the lack of understanding of people. He is correct in this fact as what do poverty, evil, and ignorance have in common if not a lack of understanding amongst people? If everyone felt empathy for the poor, there would be no poor, if everyone had understanding for others, there would be no evil, and if everyone valued others perspectives, there would be no ignorance. W.E.B Du Bois found the root of the issue and that is “that men know so little about men”. Prompt 3: Mary Williams was born on March 4th, 1861- the same day that the great former President Abraham Lincoln was first inaugurated as the President of the United States of America. Mary was a Caucasian woman born to a small lower class family in South Georgia where her family worked in agriculture, farming land. She was a newborn baby when the United States Civil War began in 1861. Mary’s father joined the Confederate Army forces as a soldier in hopes of helping aid in the creation of a new confederacy independent from the United
..., what do you see that was unfair and would not be tolerated in today’s society? It is clear to see that racism ran rampant in the South and little was done to enforce the rules of the land. Over the past half-century, we have brought a great deal of change and equality in regards to civil rights. However this was not an easy or fast process. Many gave their time and lives to bringing about equality to African Americans.
In terms of racial equality in America, the government was instrumental in giving the freed slaves a boost and putting them on equal footing as the whites and creating a country of equality. But as we can see from history, they didn’t do such a good job at that. Du Bois states, “ the Negro farmer started behind,--started in debt” (91). When you start behind, in a world run by men who see you as inferior and for years ranked you with cattle and pigs, it’s hard to ever get ahead. The white men, especially those of the South, were determined to carry out slavery through cloaked measures such as controlling the freed slaves wages, feeding on their lack of knowledge of saving and spending and their lack of knowledge in general. Du Bois claims this was “the crime of a happy-go-lucky nation which goes blundering along with its Reconstruction tragedies, its Spanish War interludes and Philippine matinees” (91). The US has a history of helping other countries “solve” their problems while ignoring what’s going on at home. The figure of authority, in this case the government, started efforts to make the black man equal to the white man, but before any real change could be made, they jumped right into another problem without finishing the previous one. Whoever holds the authority and power must be able to see things through and ensure that their plans are carried
Du Bois blatantly told the country that the government played a role in the negative situation of blacks and had an integral role in ensuring that they achieved full citizenship. Du Bois, rightfully so, was extremely critical of the government, citing that “so flagrant became the political scandals that reputable men began to leave politics alone, and politics consequently became disreputable.” From that, comes his key connection to the negative political standing of blacks. He said, “In this state of mind it became easy to wink at the suppression of the Negro vote in the South, and to advise self-respecting Negroes to leave politics entirely alone.” Du Bois wanted blacks to involve themselves in politics and in doing so the struggle for civil rights to change that stigma and more importantly to have a voice. This desire to change the sheer corruption and abuse that came with de jure and de facto segregation was most evident with the “Coming of John.” In this chapter, Du Bois tells the story of two young men, one white, and one black, who both went to college. When the black one returns home after being in school, he no longer shares the ignorant bliss that all of his fellow blacks have. He opens up a school to try and enlighten the youth, but is told to teach them to be lesser than whites. It almost seems as though the story is a
During the process of reading this compilation of works, Portrait of America, many different point of views were aired. The opinion or attitude on the subject was too tainted. The authors were very biased to their perception of the "story". This book could have been much more beneficial if the facts would have stayed to the straight and narrow. Only the detrimental facts needed to be applied to these chapters. For a history class, as broad as this, this book opened too many doors that could not be explained in as much detail as would be liked. Many of the authors enjoyed mentioning the most scandalous moments of the people's lives then dropped the fact without much support or follow through as to what happened to cause or end these events. Brief summaries only tease the mind, and with the course load of most students, there is hardly extra time to investigate the matter further in detail. For a class such as History 152, biographies and/or documentary style books are more worth the while of the student. For instance make a list of a selection of novels that could be read for the class, so that every student can then explore in depth what that student thinks is interesting. Although the book was teasing in nature the chapters did flow well and were easy to read. The procession of the chapters had wonderful transition as to not loose the student. While proceeding through this book there were several different reoccurring topics that appeared. This paper will discuss these two reoccurring topics: the civil rights movement and former presidents.
Over the course of centuries, Americans faced many hardships when it came to dealing with the economy and the social and political living. One thing that most really struck these Americans was the Civil War because they became in need for a reason for this war. David Blight, the author of Race and Reunion, argues that there had been two competing interests: healing and justice, in which one of them began to fade away: this is because many Americans had a different perspective of the Civil War, which eventually overpowered justice.
From slavery being legal, to its abolishment and the Civil Rights Movement, to where we are now in today’s integrated society, it would seem only obvious that this country has made big steps in the adoption of African Americans into American society. However, writers W.E.B. Du Bois and James Baldwin who have lived and documented in between this timeline of events bringing different perspectives to the surface. Du Bois first introduced an idea that Baldwin would later expand, but both authors’ works provide insight to the underlying problem: even though the law has made African Americans equal, the people still have not.
America tries to stand for equality, but our system does not properly help the disadvantaged. In “The Land of Opportunity” Loewen’s first year college students do not understand why people are poor and simply think that it is their own fault for being poor. High school students are not learning about social inequality or class structure. The ideas that they are going to College with are not accurate and the textbooks in public schools are partially to blame for this. Coming from a background of poverty, Bell Hooks understands the moral values and work ethic of the poor and the privileged. In “Seeing and Making Culture: Representing the Poor”, Hooks represents the poor to show that in America the image of being rich is viewed from many perspectives
Clive Wearing, an English musician, suffered from a severe brain infection that inhibited his ability to retain memories and knowledge after his sickness. In an article called “The Abyss”, Oliver Sacks reports that within every few seconds, Clive believes that he is “awake for the first time” (Sacks ). and claims that he was previously dead. Anything he then experiences in the short moment of time is sought to be real to him. He believes is occurring for the first time when in reality, it happened only minutes ago. Throughout time, he keeps a journal which demonstrates his repeated struggle. When recognizing previous handwriting, he believes that it occurred but not by him consciously and does not realize how it got there. Although his brain
The poor don't have the same opportunities as the upper class citizens, with only forty-five percent of these students being accepted into college. The poor are even more likely to be neglected when applying to a job, and even more when you are of colored skin. This is even more apparent with higher positioned jobs for example the federal government, where most positions are held by wealthy white men. Men don't live comfortably in a society where conflicts always around the corner, harmony, something paine envisioned isn't very evident today. Police brutally is something commonly seen, more so with colored men, with several movements like the black lives matter movement being a reality. With past year's election gone and done many question the future of America as a nation as a bigoted racist man has been elected president. Donald trump is the complete opposite to what Paine envisioned america to be, racist occurrences have now increased due to the newly elected president. Donald Trump is just the definition of what's wrong with America, hes rich and privileged white man. The government doesn't do much to help out the poor community, many towns are run down and no help from the government in seen. The country is in debt, and Detroit is a prime example of that
Washington 's programme naturally takes an economic cast” (Du Bois). Du Bois believed that Washington’s theory was a gospel of Work and Money that ultimately overshadowed the higher aims of life” Later he makes another statement so powerful that should have made all African Americans want to stand up and fight for a better social status and rights for both the South and North. He goes on stating “The growing spirit of kindliness and reconciliation between the North and South after the frightful differences of a generation ago ought to be a source of deep congratulation to all, and especially to those whose mistreatment caused the war; but if that reconciliation is to be marked by the industrial slavery and civic death of those same black men, with permanent legislation into a position of inferiority, then those black men, if they are really men, are called upon by every consideration of patriotism and loyalty to oppose such a course by all civilized methods, even though such opposition involves disagreement with Mr. Booker T. Washington.” (Du
Since their arrival in North America, Blacks have been abused and oppressed into a state less than human. In an article written by W.E.B. Du Bois he said, “The sincere and passionate belief that somewhere between men and cattle God created a tertium quid, and called it a negro” (Du Bois). In the late 19th and 20th centuries a strong push for economic and social progress for African-Americans was being made. The prominent leaders of this movement amongst the Black community were Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois, however they had very differing views on how to achieve this goal (PBS.org). Washington and Du Bois essentially split the Black community into two parties, radical and conservative. Du Bois, the radical, preached for a strong political and civil rights agenda, and uplift for Blacks through education. Washington pushed for Blacks to accept their racial discrimination until they had proven themselves through hard work and self help (PBS.org). It is common to refer to knowledge as power; if you prove to someone that you are intellectually equal or superior there, can be no further debate. That is why Du Bois’ push for higher education and political action were the means to equal citizenship for Blacks in a White supremacist America.
The United States after the Civil War was still not an entirely safe place for African-Americans, especially in the South. Many of the freedoms other Americans got to enjoy were still largely limited to African-Americans at the time. At the beginning of the 20th Century, Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois emerged as black leaders. Their respective visions for African-American society were different however. This paper will argue that Du Bois’s vision for American, although more radical at the time, was essential in the rise of the African-American society and a precursor to the Civil Rights Movement.
McPHERSON, James M. "Major Problems in the Civil War and Reconstruction." (n.d.): n. pag. Rpt. in Major Problems in American History Series. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 10. Print.
Du Bois shows that race as it relates to social and economic hierarchy is hugely influential. Speaking historically, the presence of black people in our country comes from the need to increase capital. The introduction of slaves into American history has effects that far extend beyond the years in which slavery was permitted. We only have to look to the Jim Crow laws or even the L.A. race riots to understand that once social constructs are put in place, “it is no easy matter for a whole race to emerge” (Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk). It can be argued that since the were first freed, black people have ever since remained oppressed. Although legally they are no longer owned, our society still makes it so that black people are still essentially enslaved through “race-prejudices, which keep brown and black men in their places,” places meaning at the bottom (Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk). What we find is that where Marx sees the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, Du Bois sees white and black people. Thus, there is almost a neo-slavery movement created where black people are no longer slaves in the traditional sense, rather they are slaves to capital. Furthermore, Du Bois proposes that “despite much physical contact and daily intermingling, there is almost no community of intellectual life or point of transference where the thoughts and feelings of one race can come into direct contact and sympathy with the thoughts and feelings of the other,” further alienating one group from the other on both an economic and social level. Essentially what we must understand is that race is what determined the role of a specific group of people, in this case black people, as the proletariat in our capital minded society. Many will try and justify that there are also white people slaving away working two minimum wage jobs; but then we can look at wealth demographics, university populations according to race, and incarceration rates among black people and see that there is
Throughout history, African Americans have encountered an overwhelming amount of obstacles for justice and equality. You can see instances of these obstacles especially during the 1800’s where there were various forms of segregation and racism such as the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan terrorism, Jim- Crow laws, voting restrictions. These negative forces asserted by societal racism were present both pre and post slavery. Although blacks were often seen as being a core foundation for the creation of society and what it is today, they never were given credit for their work although forced. This was due to the various laws and social morals that were sustained for over 100 years throughout the United States. However, what the world didn’t know was that African Americans were a strong ethnic group and these oppressions and suffrage enabled African Americans for greatness. It forced African Americans to constantly have to explore alternative routes of intellectuality, autonomy and other opportunities to achieve the “American Dream” especially after the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were passed after the Civil War.