History Group
Question:
Discuss the differences between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois.
They had different philosophies regarding education, work, and politics (civil rights, especially).
Answers:
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eNotes Editor
Posted by dbello on Monday March 16, 2009 at 4:20 PMBooker T. Washington was an emanicipated slave who became a self made man. William E.B. DuBois was a northerner with a New England background and a P.H.D. from Harvard University. Booker T. Washington's philosophy concerning the role of African Americans was tempered by his belief in 'accomodation'. He believed that if African Americans ignored discrimination, concentrated on their economic future that their political rights would follow. He believed that there was no shame in manual labor. W.E.B. DuBois believed that African Americans should not limit themselves to vocational labor but to educate themselves in order to be recognized as full citizens as was their right. He rejected the idea of accomadation and suggested that only through political equality (voting rights) could African Americans achieve economic and social equality. His philosophy had a more militant edge to it when compared with the philosophy of Booker T. Washington.

