Booker T. Washington vs W.E.B. Du Bois

Booker T. Washington

Born a slave, worked his way up, self educated. Founded vocational schools (Tuskegee Institute 1881). Publicly accepted disenfranchisement and social segregation in exchanged for black economic progress, education, and justice. Whites liked him - invited to speak at cotton states expo. Said blacks should lift themselves up through communication and work. Founded National Negro Business League. Black intellectuals resisted him, lower/middle classes supported him. Often seen as "2-faced" Advisor to Teddy Roosevelt and Taft.

W.E.B. Du Bois

Born free, first African American to earn a Ph.D. at Harvard. Intellectual - wrote studies, essays, novels, poetry, etc. addressing race. Wanted the church to be at the center of the civil rights movement. Challenged idea of white supremacy - imagined black God, etc. Activist (lectures, protests, criticized other black leaders). Started the Niagara Movement (anti-lynching) in 1905. One of the NAACP founders in 1909. Politics began leaning more and more to the left. Traveled to Africa and Russia, joined Communist Party 1961.

Similarities

Both wanted to eventually gain more civil rights for blacks.

Background

Washington: Born a slave, worked his way up, self-educated. Du Bois: Born free, first African-American to earn a Ph.D. at Harvard.