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 during the late 19th and early 20th centuries who advocated for civil rights for black Americans. DuBois was born in Massachusetts in 1868 and was the first African American to earn a doctorate from Harvard University. He was a co-founder of the NAACP and believed in the necessity of political action and protest to achieve equality. On the other hand, Washington was born into slavery in Virginia in 1856 and founded the Tuskegee Institute, focusing on vocational training for African Americans. He believed in economic advancement and education as the primary ways to achieve rights for African Americans.
DuBois and Washington had differing views on how civil rights should be attained for African Americans. DuBois believed in the "Talented Tenth," the idea that a small group of educated black Americans should lead the fight for equality through political action and protest. He also emphasized the importance of higher education and intellectual development for African Americans. On the other hand, Washington believed in a more gradual approach to achieving civil rights, advocating for education and economic advancement as the main ways to improve the lives of African Americans. He believed that black Americans should focus on vocational skills and economic independence to achieve equality.
In conclusion, while both W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington were influential African American leaders who sought civil rights for their community, they had different approaches to how these rights should be achieved. DuBois believed in the power of political action and education, while Washington emphasized vocational training and economic independence. Despite their differences, both men played crucial roles in the advancement of civil rights for African Americans in the United States.