Abonie Blount

Washington and DuBois Essay

October 23, 2017

Today in America, racial tensions are at a peak. Some say, cases today mirror the horrible racism, discrimination,

and oppression, America has hosted in the past. At times like this, people look back to past leaders, to see how they

helped the upbringing of their time period. W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington are two leaders from the

early 1900s that America needs to look upon now. Both of these intellectual authors have their ways of bringing

upon racial equality in a nation that was not, and still not today, set on change. Both of these men would agree that

the nation needs to come together at this point to resolve its racial issues, but they each would attempt to solve the

problem a different way. DuBois would get the government involved as soon as possible, thinking that they could

help, whereas Washington would say change is in black’s around the nation, and only they can fix what’s wrong.

Washington believed if blacks had economic self- reliance, it would further the advancement of blacks, and lead

to equality (Up From Slavery). Though somewhat true in the early 1900s, that claim isn’t relevant today. Blacks

could not fix the predicament they were in, by themselves, it was and still is a problem that the whole nation needs

to come together to fix. Washington also advocated for a form of segregation to keep its place in America, people

were astonished because it was something that took a negative connotation on how blacks and whites interacted with

each other because of the divide. “It startled the nation to hear a Negro advocating such a programme after many

decades of bitter complaint;” (The Souls of Black Folk 2). Washington wouldn’t have the best ideas for today’s

problems. He would more than likely suggest the nation attempt something to this effect America in a positive way,

but this would just get people angry because of how much time has passed and how mindsets have changed.

DuBois believed the easing of racial tensions, and the way to come about equality was for everybody to come

together. He wanted everyone to exist in the same society as well as being equal. During this time period, his ideas

were looked at as outrageous. No one thought that ever could be, and even 100 years later, it seems as if that remains

true. Some black leaders embraced segregation and believed a ‘separate but equal’ system, was the way to go,

whereas DuBois saw that as a divide, another thing to keep America apart. DuBois thought division wasn’t equal,

and every man being equivalent to another was what America was built off of, to him, Washington’s ideals was
against the constitution and his thinking corrupted. “That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their

Creator with certain unalienable rights;” (The Souls of Black Folk 27).

To fix racial tensions today, DuBois would be a better leader than Washington. DuBois’ thinking was ahead of his

time and his strategies would be a better fit for the problems America faces today. Even during the 1900s,

Washington didn't have solutions to aid in the troubles going on around him. He wanted something that furthered the

acts of discrimination and oppression instead of helping them. Washington believed that black people were only

ones who could fix black people problems, whereas today that is not something that is evident, racial tensions exist

mainly because of outside racial groups, and that’s something that blacks can not fix themselves. It’s a fact of

everyone coming together, in attempt to fix the corrupted America that is seen today.
 Works Cited

DuBois, W.E.B. ​The Souls of Black Folk​. 1903. ​Bartleby​, www.bartleby.com/114/3.html.

Accessed 23 Oct. 2017.

Washington, Booker T. ​Up from Slavery​. Erik Max Francis. ​Alcyone​, Erik Max Francis,

www.alcyone.com/max/lit/slavery/xiv.html. Accessed 23 Oct. 2017.

Rubric rating submitted on: 10/31/2017, 10:11:41 PM by marc.i.grossman@mcpsmd.net

10 8.5 7.5 6 5

Analysis Opinion piece Opinion piece Opinion piece Opinion piece See me
Your score: 8.5 should loosely inaccurately inaccurately
accurately identifies and identifies and identifies and
identify and describes the describes the describes the
describe the measures measures measures
measures needed to needed to needed to
needed to achieve racial achieve racial achieve racial
achieve racial equality equality equality
equality according to according to according to
according to Booker T. Booker T. Booker T.
Booker T. Washington and Washington and Washington and
Washington and W.E.B. DuBois W.E.B. DuBois W.E.B. DuBois
W.E.B. DuBois by supporting by supporting by supporting
by supporting ideas with at ideas with at ideas without
ideas with at least one least one offering one
least one relevant quote relevant quote relevant quote
relevant quote for each thinker for each thinker for each thinker
for each thinker (quotes should (quotes should (quotes should
(quotes should be no longer be no longer be no longer
be no longer than one line in than one line in than one line in
than one line in length) and length) and length) and
length) and examples. examples. examples.
examples.

Corroboration Opinion piece Opinion piece Opinion piece Opinion piece See me
Your score: 8.5 identifies what inaccuaretly inaccuaretly inaccuaretly
each thinker identifies what identifies what identifies what
believed was the each thinker each thinker each thinker
greatest believed was the believed was the believed was the
impediment to greatest greatest greatest
 racial equity in impediment to impediment to impediment to
the United racial equity in racial equity in racial equity in
States and their the United the United the United
understanding of States and their States and States and
the role of understanding of omits their omits their
government in the role of understanding of understanding of
bringing about government in the role of the role of
racial equality bringing about government in government in
by supporting racial equality bringing about bringing about
ideas with by supporting racial equality racial equality
textual evidence ideas with by supporting without
(quotes and textual evidence ideas with supporting ideas
examples) (quotes and textual evidence with textual
examples) (quotes and evidence (quotes
examples) and examples)

Analytical and Opinion piece Opinion piece Opinion piece Opinion piece See me
Persuasive evaluates the evaluates the evaluates the does not
Thesis merits and merits and merits and evaluates the
Your score: 7.5 shortcomings of shortcomings of shortcomings of merits and
each thinker each thinker each thinker shortcomings of
from a from a from a each thinker
contemporary contemporary contemporary from a
perspective by perspective but perspective but contemporary
supporting their does not fully does not support perspective
ideas with support their their ideas with Opinion piece
textual evidence ideas with textual evidence offer incomplete
provided in the textual evidence provided in the or no
websites about provided in the websites about speculation on
race relations websites about race relations which thinker’s
today. It should race relations today. Opinion work is most
speculate on today. It should piece offer applicable today
which thinker’s speculate on incomplete and explain
work is most which thinker’s speculation on why.
applicable today work is most which thinker’s
and explain applicable today work is most
why. and explain applicable today
why. and explain
why.

Thesis/Mechani Opinion piece Opinion piece Opinion piece Opinion piece See me
cs includes clearly does not does not does not
Your score: 8.5 articulated thesis includes clearly includes clearly includes clearly
supported by articulated thesis articulated thesis articulated thesis
evidence in the supported by supported by supported by
form of relevant evidence in the evidence in the evidence in the
examples and form of relevant form of relevant form of relevant
 quotes no longer examples and examples and examples and
than one line in quotes no longer quotes no longer quotes no longer
length. Essay than one line in than one line in than one line in
includes length. Essay length. Essay length. Essay
parenthetical includes either does not either does not
citations and a parenthetical include or include
Woks Cited citations and a includes parenthetical
page with no Woks Cited parenthetical citations and or
more than 3 page with no improperly a Woks Cited
outside sources. more than 3 formatted page with no
Essay is no outside sources. citations and a more than 3
longer than 750 Essay is no Woks Cited outside sources.
words. Essay is longer than 750 page with no Essay is no
not plagued with words. Essay is more than 3 longer than 750
mechanical not plagued with outside sources. words. Essay is
errors. mechanical Essay is no not plagued with
errors. longer than 750 mechanical
words. Essay is errors.
not plagued with
mechanical
errors.

Comments: