Justin Gross

Hon. U.S. History

Red Group
10/9/15
DuBois/Washington Opinion Piece

W.E.B DuBois opinion on racial equality resonates much more today than Washingtons does.

From the texts, it is evident that DuBois believed in a far more active and militant form of racial
equality. DuBois stressed that blacks could only be equal to whites in the U.S. through political agency. In
addition, he was a firm believer in speaking out against racial injustice, going so far as to challenge other
black intellectuals of his time, saying: It is difficult to see how men...and other representations of this
group can much longer be silent. He then states the three components of black civil equality are: the
right to vote, civic equality, and black youth education (DuBois ch.3 par.24).
DuBois views contrasted that of his intellectual rival, Booker T. Washington. Washington
believed that blacks could gain societal equality not through political power, but rather that blacks should
strive to achieve economic prosperity. Washington believed that blacks should put effort into improving
relations between white southerners and themselves, saying Cast down your bucket where you are-cast it down in making friends in every manly way of the people of all races whom we are surrounded.
(Washington ch. 14 par.5)
On the matter of government, DuBois believed in entreating the government for voting rights as
well as other civil equalities, very vocally, saying -so far as he, the South, or the Nation does this-we
must unceasingly and firmly oppose them (DuBois ch.3 par.33). Washington, on the other hand, not only
believed in black self-reliance, but also championed against government involvement when it came to
black voting rights, saying In my opinion, the time will come when the south will come when the South
will encourage all of its citizens to vote. (Washington ch. 14 par. 37)

Both today, and at his time, Washingtons views had many shortcomings. Washingtons positions
cause him to sound far too complacent with the downfalls of Southern society at the time, and today
would be seen as prohibiting great racial societal in contemporary America. Even Washingtons ideals of
blacks pulling themselves up by their bootstraps can no longer function in todays United States because
this countrys black underclass-made of 2,700,00 people (PBS Frontline), no longer has proper
opportunity to do so, as many low-class jobs have moved elsewhere. On the other hand, DuBois views on
racial equality in the U.S. hold up today far better than Washingtons do. DuBois believed in vocal and
active, yet non-violent, action and protest against racial injustice.These views would, without a doubt,
resonate with contemporary movements for social change in America. DuBois only glaring downside is
how militant his views were. Though now DuBois may be what many considered the norm for
movements advocating racial change today, at his time, his views were far more divisive-especially to
whites. Even now, many who hold more moderate views in the country today could be taken aback by
DuBois passion and intensity.
Though his stances may have their shortcomings, it is clear that DuBois progressive ideas on
racial equality would resonate far better today than Washingtons more conservative ideals, as they fall
completely in line with BlackLivesMatter, and other progressive groups of modern times.

Works Cited
Du Bois, W. E. B. The Souls of Black Folk. Chicago: A.C. McClurg & Co.; [Cambridge]:
University
Press John Wilson and Son, Cambridge, U.S.A., 1903. Print
Washington, Booker Taliaferro. Up From Slavery: An Autobiography. New York: Doubleday
1900. Print
"Viewing The Class Divide." Frontline. PBS, 1995. Web. 8 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/race/economics/sam.html>.