Integration of African Americans into the mainstream visible by first-class citizenship
In the present American society, Africans and Americans coexist harmoniously except for the few racial tensions that manifest in the society now and then. Historically, African Americans have always battled with segregation which has reigned in American society since the era of slavery. During the four decades which followed reconstruction, the position of black Americans took a nosedive to the worse, especially when the federal government restored the white supremacist in the south. At the end of the Jim Crow era, the African Americans (referred to as black for suitability with the context) were subjected to disenfranchisement, all forms of discrimination and mob lynching. Black people were stripped off their human rights and reduced into a state of quasi slavery. The worsening conditions then gave rise to influential black leaders; Booker T and W.E.B Dubois. While Dubois stood for compromise and political action, Washington advocated for accommodation to achieve equal treatment regardless of race. Their individual experiences with slavery, especially widened the difference the philosophical ideation by the two leaders; Dubois never experienced white dominance in his life while Washington had suffered stigmatization under slavery.
Between the first and second compromise, 1877 and 1895 respectively, it had become clear that the major problem facing the black American leadership was how to obtain first-class citizenship or the Black Americans (Johnson et al. 65). Since there was no single way to reach this goal, multiple debates were put forth by various blacks. While some debated for civil actions and violence, others urged for peaceful democratic channels of claiming the black position in the white-dominated society. Some black leaders advocated for the black Americans to struggle for their civil rights while others advised them to become indispensable by becoming skilled workers (Franklin et al.). The most remarkable controversy between this entire time raged between two figures; Booker T Washington and W.E.B Dubois. Both figures were aware of the marginalized position of black Americans in society (Johnson et al. 66). Also, they were both aware of the fast industrializing society and perceived technology a central aspect in society. As a result, Dubois and Washington hailed technological advancements at the core of the Advancement of African Americans.
Washington was a product of slavery amidst worsening social, political and economic conditions for the blacks, especially during his racial program hic lasted between 1895 and 1915. In a quest to fulfil his thirst for education, Washington scaled the height of education and founded the Tuskegee Institute, a normal vocational school in Alabama (Franklin et al.). He then used this institute to actualize his belief on what he believed to be the solution to the problem of race. He believed that the ultimate solution for race problem was for blacks to prove themselves indispensable by becoming reliable providers of labor. This would only be accomplished by making education a fundamental right to the African Americans; an education with an economic sense to the economy. Washington felt that industrial education was more relevant to African Americans than academic education as a vehicle of achieving black empowerment (Johnson et al. 67). Washington in the Atlanta compromise stated that “in all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress” (Booker). In the course of his education, Washington had learnt the doctrine of economic Advancement, acceptance of a person’s place in the society as well as conciliation with the white south. He rose to national prominence came after his brief speech in which he outlined his racial program and philosophy. He was the first black American ever to address a crowd as large a that in the opening of cotton states and international exposition in Atlanta 1895 (Booker). Washington believed that for harmonious existence between the races, the blacks needed to trust the paternalism of the southern whites and accept the oppression. Given that his program conciliated with the whites, there were numerous donations by a philanthropist for the Tuskegee initiative (Washington).
Although Washington’s ideation for economic self-help of the African Americans was plausible, his advice for the resignation to white dominance was not entirely forthcoming. In the present state, for instance, all races need to be represented politically for equal development, and therefore submission to domination is not acceptable. He advised the blacks to remain in the south and keep away from political engagement in favour of industrial education which attracted prominent person to himself (Booker). Washington’s strategy of accommodation in the hope of discrimination automatically fading away still leaves some loopholes which would perpetuate racial inequality. However, the concept of industrial training can be applicable in the present society by combining this with the academic training to give rise to a fully polished citizen. This would make the African Americans as well as all other disenfranchised races to be indispensable in the economy at all costs. This can also be extended in the curriculum to accommodate learner’s interests but not at the expense of academic achievements.
W.E.B Dubois was one of the major critics of Washington’s philosophy. He had been brought up with no experience of the stigma of slavery. Initially, he cooperated with Washington on various issues, including blaming the black Americans for their conditions. Dubois, however, noted that the emphasis placed by Washington’s accommodation program on industrial education at the expense of academic education derived little gains (DuBois). Besides, Dubois was opposed to the idea of the blacks having the white dominate over their affairs which made him a great critic of Washington. In his essay, of Mr Booker T. and others, Dubois noted that the accommodating program was asking the blacks to renounce their political power and their civil rights (DuBois).
Conversely, he put raised the clarion call for the blacks to be accorded equal civic rights, right to vote and education opportunities. His was a wider scope, highlighted the black American’s duty to perpetuate forward movement (DuBois). In his program, this could only be achieved through constant political activism, relentless agitation and education to give the blacks full American citizenship. In his program, he put forward the concept of the talented tenth; meaning that an educated group of blacks would use their knowledge to craft the way for economic and cultural empowerment of the suppressed black masses. Dubois further oversaw the formation of the Niagara movement fetching members from northern college-educated black citizens to preach equal treatment and justice for black Americans (Franklin et al.). However, this failed upon a riot and murders of blacks in Spring land which paved the way for the formation of the National Association for the Advancement of people of color. This association launched anti-discrimination campaigns in the courts battling to eliminate the barriers to full citizenship of blacks (Johnson et al. 69).
Most elements of Dubois’s program were proactive and aimed at forcing the way for black Americans to gain their civil rights. His philosophy on the need for education to empower the black masses is still applicable in contemporary society. The black communities still fall short in terms of academic achievements, and this may explain the unseen force of discrimination in society. Relevant academic skills can allow blacks to ascend in higher corporate functions. On top of this, political action and agitation is the other way of ensuring equal representation of blacks and breaking white dominance. This will still apply in the present phenomena since political influence helps in resolving the problem of unequal resource distribution. Dubois had envisioned an equal society where every person was included in civil actions. With solid education skills and adequate political presentation, freedom can be acquired, and the problem of racial bias broken.
In conclusion, both Washington and Dubois advocated for the same thing; integration of African Americans into the mainstream visible by first-class citizenship. However, their strategies of obtaining this common goal were different due to their different experience with the white-dominated society. While Washington had grown some respect for the whites from slavery and advocated for an accommodative approach, Dubois did not experience stigma from slavery and thus posited a more proactive strategy in combating the race problem. Washington believed that through complete acceptance to be dominated by the whites, black masses would achieve economic power through industrial skills before they demanded full citizenship. Dubois, on the other hand, was opposed to the idea of having to assume a position of inferiority. He argued that blacks should be allowed to study liberal arts in school and be granted the same rights as whites. According to his strategy, there was no point of sacrificing a constitutional right to achieve an already guaranteed status. While most of the concepts by Dubois are still applicable today, Washington’s idea of accommodation is less applicable since the modern world needs equality in all platforms.
Works Cited
DuBois, W. E. B. “The souls of Black folks (Kindle Edition).” Chicago, IL: AC McClurg & Co (1903).
Booker T. Washington: “Atlanta Exposition Address” Cotton States and International Exposition Atlanta. 1895.
Du Bois, William Edward Bughardt. “Dusk of dawn: An essay toward an autobiography of a race con-cept.” (1940).
Washington, Booker T. Up from Slavery: And Other Early Black Narratives. Doubleday Books, 1998.
Franklin, John Hope, and Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham. From slavery to freedom. New York: Knopf, 1956.
Johnson, Keith V., and Elwood Watson. “The WEB DuBois and Booker T. Washington Debate: Effects upon African American Roles in Engineering and Engineering Technology.” Journal of Technology Studies 30.4 (2004): 65-70.