Please read all instructions:
-Post must be 350 words or more
-Student reponses: 100 each (Find student responses below )
-Upload post and student reponses in seperate documents
Discussion Board Topic:
To Compromise or Not…
Read Booker T. Washington’s Atlanta Compromise speech, andW.E.B. Dubois’s excerpt, Critique of Booker T. Washington, from The Souls ofBlack Folks.
In this week’s discussion post, based on your reading of thesources and Chapter 18 in the textbook, briefly outline Washington and Dubois’positions. Which position, if any, do you agree with?
Make sure to use historical evidence to support yourposition.
In your response, try to add some additional information.Maybe mention a piece of information the poster overlooked, or offer adifferent viewpoint.
Your response should be written in your own words.
This activity aligns with Unit 1 learning outcome 4.
Stupent Karragin Koch: Booker T. Washington was an African Americanleader, and spokeman who gave a speech of his named “Atlanta Comprimise address” onSeptember 18, 1895. In his address he stresses about how he did want to achieveactual equality for everyone but he also didn’t believe that violence was theway to achieve it or go about it. Washington believed that African Americansshould focus on making a life for themselves and working their way up fromthere. He was trying to get his point across that through hard work they wouldbe seen as citizens eventually and it would “cement the friendship of thetwo races more than any occurence since the dawn of our freedom”.Washington did want to acheive equality and change the way African Americanswere viewed but at the same time he felt that it would take time and that itbasically needed to be earned in order to prevent the violence. On the otherhand though W.E.B. Dubois did not agree with the views of Booker T. Washington.Dubois felt that taking action was the only way to go about acheiving actuallyequallity. He felt as if Washington was just prolonging what needed to happenand Dubois didn’t agree because he wanted change now. He felt to acheive thegoal they had to fight with political action and stand up for what they believedin.
As I do agree thatthey both wanted to achieve the same goal in the end, they just both wanted totake a differant route to get there. They both wanted Freedom, and equallityfor African Americans especially with all of the violence that was surroundingthe subject. In the end i have to agree with W.E.B Dubois because even thoughthey both wanted change he wanted it now and to take action at that very momentin order to achieve it. Washington had the right idea and I will always agreewith the non violent approach but sometimes you have to fight violence withviolence. There needed to be change then not to slowly work up to change thatwas the downfall (in my oppinion) of washingtons point, the route he wanted totake was just simply to long.
Student Talia Terbrueggen: Booker T. Washington was a reformer, educator,and a well known spokesman for Black Americans. Washington spoke in front of awhite audience in Atlanta and starts to talk about the Negro race and how mostof the south is African American population. Washington wanted the Blackcommunity to accept being discriminated against and focus on growing as aperson, as a community, in work, and in personal wants. Booker Washingtonwanted Black people to focus on education in working like farming, industrial,and crafts. He wanted this because he figured if the Black community did thesethings and worked hard and became successful the Whites would see them asequal. Washington wanted Black people to have economic independence.
Du Bois was a critic and scholar who thought that Booker T.Washingtons idea would only make things worse with white oppression. Du Boisencouraged civil rights agenda and political action. Du Bios thoughtWashingtons speech would not help with social change but what was needed was tofocus on the “Talented Tenth”. The “Talented Tenth” meansone in ten black men that have been able to become leaders of the Blackcommunity by going to college.
In my opinion both positions of Booker T. Washington and DuBois have good points. However in Du Bios position about going to school andbeing the “Talented Tenth” to me does not sound that easy. Schoolcost money and a lot of the time school is too expensive for people. In BookerT. Washingtons speech he talks about being independent and gaining respect fromthe white community through working hard. However this to me also makes mequestion if the Black community focus on working this may just make the Whitesfeel like they still have power if the black community worked harder. Overall Ithink both positions are good and bad Booker T. Washington was positive becausehe was encouraging the bLack community to work hard and on themselves in orderto be successful but it was also negative because this may make the whitesthink they still have power or more. Du Bois position was positive becauseschool is always a good way to become successful but school is not affordablefor everyone.
Requirements:
Length: at least 350 words
Initial post due 11:59 pm EST, Sunday, September 19
Peer response due by 11:59 pm EST, Wednesday, September 22
