William Edward Burkhardt DuBois, whom we all know as W.E.B. DuBois; was a novelist, public speaker, poet, editor, author, leader, teacher, scholar, and romantic. He graduated from high school at the age of 16, and was selected as the valedictorian, being that he was the only black in his graduating class of 12. He was orphaned shortly after his graduation and was forced to fund his own college education. He was a pioneer in black political thoughts and known by many as a main figure in the history of African-American politics. W.E.B. DuBois attended Fisk University, where he was awarded a scholarship after he graduated high school. Fisk University was located in Nashville, Tennessee. While attending this University, this is where he saw …show more content…
In the years following the founding of the NAACP, DuBois was introduced into controversy as he joined the Socialists Party. DuBois became a candidate for the United States Senate on the American Labor (Communist) Party ticket. He also wrote letters, novels, and opinion excerpts as well as organized the first meeting of the Pan-African Congress, the purpose of the Congress was to improve the situation of native Africans. DuBois also initiated the concept of the "talented tenth" the talented tenth was where he called for ten percent of the African American population where he lived to receive a traditional college education so they could have leadership positions and assume leadership positions within society and within their communities. Dr. W. E. B. DuBois was known as an African American hero who truly believed that a person's vocational calling should be dictated by ability and choice, not by race. DuBois, unlike Booker T. Washington, not only demanded an immediate change but also drastic change, and was not afraid to challenge both blacks and whites on social and educational issues to accomplish change because he knew at that point, something needed to happen now. His strong activism and courage set the stage for future changes in the African American and White American race relations. In 1934 DuBois resigned from the NAACP staff in simply because he was not willing to advocate racial
The essay that I am presenting today is “Strivings of the Negro People” by W.E.B Dubois. This essay was written in as an article in the Atlantic Monthly in 1987, but before I get to essay, I would like to give some background information about Mr. Dubois. Both scholar and activist, W.E.B. Du Bois was born on February 23, 1868, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. He studied at Harvard University and, in 1895, became the first African American to earn a doctorate from Harvard. He wrote extensively and was the best known spokesperson for African American rights during the first half of the 20th century. Du Bois co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1909. He died in
In conclusion, the debate between W.E.B Dubois and Washington was nothing short of remarkable and genius. Although both men had two separate ways about doing things they both shared the same common goal, which was bettering the lives of African Americans. In my opinion, W.E.B Dubois plan to go strongly for African American rights and equality was the better strategy. Not only did he help bring us together but he gave blacks a sense of self confidence that they didn’t possess before. For once blacks believed not only can you be as good as the white man but better. While some may agree that Mr. Washington’s plan to endure the second citizenship title was only degrading and keeping the black man down. Although Washington had honorable goals Dubois gave the people a strong sense of empowerment and worthiness that has helped the black race grows into what it is today.
W. E. B. Du Bois was born in Great Barrington,In 1884 he graduated as valedictorian from high school. He got his bachelor of arts from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. He was the first african american to earn their P.H.D. DuBois was the leader of the Niagara Movement, a group of African-American activists who wanted equal rights for blacks. W.E.B dubois argued that social change could be accomplished by developing the small group of college-educated blacks he called "the Talented Tenth:" Dubois disagreed with Washington's opinions but also respect for him as one of the first true black intellectuals who tried to help the black race. Dubois focused on a strategy called the gradualist political strategy. the strategy tells that Dubois
Booker T. Washington believed that blacks should not push to attain equal civil and political rights with whites. That it was best to concentrate on improving their economic skills and the quality of their character. The burden of improvement resting squarely on the shoulders of the black man. Eventually they would earn the respect and love of the white man, and civil and political rights would be accrued as a matter of course. This was a very non-threatening and popular idea with a lot of whites.
Dubois said, “Mr. Washington distinctly asks that black people give up, at least for the present, three things, --First, political power, second, insistence on civil rights, third, higher education of Negro youth, and concentrate all their energies on industrial education, and accumulation of wealth, and the conciliation of the South.” Washington believed that the blacks could not move forward without giving up political power, civil rights, and higher education. He thought they had to give up those ideas for now and focus on wealth, industrial education and be friendly with the south. He thought once these objects were accomplished then the blacks could obtain the freedom and rights they wanted. Therefore, he felt that for now the color-line was ok because blacks needed to first earn their rights before they were handed over to them.
W. E. B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington were both highly intelligent African American men who wrote about the disparities between the lives of whites and blacks in the United States during the nineteenth and into the twentieth centuries. Each man saw the way in which his fellow African Americans were being treated by the white majority and used their intelligence and persuasive skills to bring attention to this very serious issue. Both men fought for equality through nonviolent protest and the application of logical argument and reasoning in order to better their lives and those of their social and ethnic brothers. Despite their shared goal of racial and sociological equality, the two men had very different ideas about how equality would be achieved and about what the African American community should or ought to expect in terms of actually obtaining that equality.
W.E.B Dubois was an American Civil Rights activist. He was a historian, educator, scholar and a poet. He was an editor of the NAACP official magazine “The Crisis”. Dubois was very influential in his work, he believed that the elite and intelligent African Americans should be the one to bring the other African Americans to their social
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
Pioneer in the struggle for Afro-American liberation and for African liberation, prolific black scholar, W.E.B. DuBois (1868 - 1963) was one of the giants of the twentieth century. (Foner, flap text)
He had a lot of impact on his time and the world today. As a founder of the NAACP, They got a lot of rights for African-Americans such as Brown vs. Board of Education which helped end segregation. Dubois wrote something called the Crisis, that opened the world for people see that blacks can do the same things as whites and are actually people. He influenced a lot of African-Americans to fight for their rights and be accepted, he then led protest and educated the African-Americans that weren’t. In the long run, he got the people to fight for their rights and got us here today where everybody is
As a young adult DuBois proved to be a gifted student graduating as a valedictorian as well as owning the title of being the first African American to graduate from Massachusetts’, Great Barrington High School. W.E.B DuBois began voicing his opinion regarding racial injustice by submitting several articles to local newspapers such as the Springfield Republican and the New York Globe. Recognizing DuBois’ intellectuality Frank Hosmer, principal at Great Barrington High School granted him a scholarship to liberal arts college, Fisk University in Nashville Tennessee. While attending Fisk University he contributed to the community by teaching widely African American schools in rural
The person I will be talking about is W.E.B Dubois. W.E.B Dubois is a civil right activists that liked and wanted African Americans to get a great EDUCATION. The impact that he made on todays life is that he want everyone on a high standards of learning. He was a well educated man that will stand up for the rights of education. He was apart of different organization that was dealing with learning and teaching about the world. In today society if we could change the way we act/do at school we learn more and accomplish the goals that are needed. W.E.B Dubois is a black person that want all race to be well educated and prepare for the world of learning.
He trusted in instruction in the specialties, mechanical and cultivating abilities and the development of the excellences of tolerance, endeavour and thrift. Unlike Washington, DuBois felt that correspondence with whites was absolutely critical. More politically aggressor than Washington, DuBois exhibited his political convictions through his contribution in the Niagara Movement, the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, and served as supervisor of The Crisis, a dark political magazine. He felt that blacks ought to teach themselves in the liberal custom, pretty much as whites. DuBois' more radical methodology was gotten well by other northern
“How does it feel to be a problem,” (W.E.B Du Bois 3) asked W.E.B Du Bois. The activist was born during President Andrew Johnson’s term and eventually died during Lyndon B. Johnson’s term. Born and raised in Massachusetts, he graduated from a black liberal arts college in Nashville called Fisk University, and taught in a rural school during the summer. His experiences with the school were documented in his book, The Souls of Black Folk. Du Bois became the first black folk to receive a Ph.D in history from Harvard University. To earn his post-doctoral degree, he studied in Germany. However, he ran out of funds. With the Philadelphia Negro: A Social Study, Du Bois established himself as an impressive scholar of black life present in America, and the study was of the initial black communities in the United States. Between 1898 and 1910, he taught sociology at
African Americans during the 1900s lived lives full of uncertainty. They were no longer slaves, but still looked upon by many as inferior to the white race. However in this period of tension, there were men who sought to bring their race to new heights. One of these men was W.E.B Du Bois. Few have influenced the lives of African Americans in such a way as W.E.B Du Bois. The vision he had for African Americans was one that many found great hope in. He sought for the day that his race for finally have civil equality in every aspect of life.