Read primary and secondary sources to gather information about Booker T. Washington and W. E.
B. Du Bois.
2. Take notes on each source. Record facts and details about each leader's response to the discrimination faced by African Americans and his goals for improving conditions Use a Venn diagram to identify similarities and differences in the two men's viewpoints.
Select the link to access the Venn diagram. 4. Select a structure for your compare-and-contrast essay, such as a Block Pattern or Point-by-Point Pattern. Outline the points you will cover in your writing and develop a thesis statement. See the example below.
5. Write a short essay that compares and contrasts the responses to discrimination and goals for improvement stated by Booker T. Washington and
W. E. B. Du Bois. Support your ideas with facts and details from the primary and secondary sources you analyzed. Include transition words and phrases to clarify the relationships between your ideas.
Submit your essay in a word-processing document.
Thesis Statement: While both Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois sought to improve conditions for African Americans facing discrimination, they had differing approaches in how to achieve this goal, with Washington emphasizing vocational training and economic development, and Du Bois advocating for social and political equality.
I. Introduction
- Introduce the two leaders and their views on discrimination and improvement for African Americans
II. Booker T. Washington's Response to Discrimination and Goals for Improvement
- Founded the Tuskegee Institute to provide vocational training for African Americans
- Believed economic independence would lead to social equality
- Advocated for gradual integration and cooperation with white society
III. W. E. B. Du Bois's Response to Discrimination and Goals for Improvement
- Co-founder of the NAACP, fighting for social and political equality
- Argued for the importance of education and intellectual development
- Believed in the immediate equality and civil rights for African Americans
IV. Comparison of Responses to Discrimination
- Similarities: Both leaders acknowledged the discrimination faced by African Americans and sought to improve their conditions
- Differences: Washington focused on economic advancement and gradual integration, while Du Bois advocated for social and political equality
V. Comparison of Goals for Improvement
- Similarities: Both leaders aimed to uplift the African American community and combat discrimination
- Differences: Washington believed in gradual progress through economic empowerment, while Du Bois pushed for immediate social and political equality
VI. Conclusion
- Summarize the key differences and similarities between Washington and Du Bois' responses to discrimination and goals for improvement
- Conclude on the lasting impact both leaders had on the Civil Rights Movement
In their responses to discrimination and goals for improvement for African Americans, Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois took different approaches. Washington emphasized vocational training and economic development as a means to achieve social equality, while Du Bois focused on advocating for immediate social and political equality. Despite their differing viewpoints, both leaders had a significant impact on the Civil Rights Movement and the fight for equality in America.