3-4-paragraph essay comparing and evaluating the impact of two progressive leaders, W.E.B. DuBois & Booker T. Washington.
For this assignment, please conduct research comparing these two men: What was their background/ education like? What rights were they hoping to achieve? How did they think African Americans should try to achieve those rights?
Paragraph 1 is your introduction paragraph. Introduce both men and the topic of the paper. It's a good idea to include a thesis statement as the last sentence of your introduction paragraph. A good example of a thesis statement is: "Although WEB Dubois and Booker T Washington were both well-educated black leaders who wanted to see additional civil rights for African Americans, their ideas about how people should attain those new rights were different."
Paragraphs 2 & 3 are your body paragraphs where you will use your research to compare these two men. You can make one paragraph about Washington & one about DuBois, OR you can make 1 paragraph about their similarities & 1 paragraph about their differences. Your choice!
Paragraph 4 (optional, but recommended) is your conclusion paragraph. You can restate your thesis argument & wrap up your paper here.
*Please include a reference list (a list of your sources you used for research). If you format your reference sheet in APA, Chicago-Style, or MLA format, you may receive extra credit on this assignment. Check Purdue OWL, Citationmachine.net, or bibme.org for help with citing sources.
W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington were two prominent African American leaders who sought to advance the civil rights of African Americans in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. DuBois was born in 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and was the first African American to earn a doctorate from Harvard University. He believed in the importance of higher education for African Americans and advocated for full civil rights and suffrage. On the other hand, Washington was born into slavery in 1856 in Virginia and founded the Tuskegee Institute to promote vocational training for African Americans. He believed that economic independence was the key to achieving equality and advocated for a gradual approach to civil rights.
DuBois and Washington had differing views on how African Americans should achieve their rights. DuBois believed in the “Talented Tenth,” the idea that the most educated and talented individuals should lead the way for the rest of the African American community. He also believed in direct action and protests to bring about social change. In contrast, Washington believed in a more gradual approach to civil rights and focused on economic self-reliance through vocational training and entrepreneurship. He promoted accommodation and cooperation with white Americans in the hopes of slowly gaining respect and acceptance in society.
In conclusion, although both DuBois and Washington were influential African American leaders who sought to advance the civil rights of their people, they had different approaches to achieving their goals. DuBois believed in education and direct action, while Washington believed in economic independence and gradual integration into society. Both leaders contributed significantly to the civil rights movement and paved the way for future generations of African Americans to continue the fight for equality.
References:
1. "W.E.B. Du Bois." Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, August 12, 2016. https://www.biography.com/scholar/w-e-b-du-bois.
2. "Booker T. Washington." Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, August 26, 2021. https://www.biography.com/scholar/booker-t-washington.