Booker T. Washington was one of the most powerful and important figures in African American history. From his founding of the Tuskegee Institute, the writing of his autobiography, Up From Slavery, and the criticism that came from W.E.B. DuBois all made him a very influential man in the civil rights movement. His past actions still impact civil rights today. Born into slavery in 1856 in Franklin County, Virginia, Washington grew up in the midst of racial tension in the south. After working on the plantation for several years, he was emancipated at the age of nine and moved with his family to West Virginia to continue work. Seven years later he began college at the Hampton Institute in Virginia. There he was taught a vocational education, where students learned one job or major, instead of multiple. This is also known as an industrial education. Washington found employment as a teacher after graduation which helped him decide his future. Soon …show more content…
DuBois was Washington's biggest critic. "He was W.E.B. DuBois, historian and sociologist, who at first supported Washington's work and toyed with the notion of teaching at Tuskegee."3 Although, he disagreed with most of Washington's ideas. Unlike Washington, DuBois used a top down approach to racism, where he thought it was best for African Americans to start at the top of the ladder with whites, instead of working their way up. DuBois criticized Washington's position as an accommodationist, or someone who seeks compromise with an opposing point of view. He also organized a movement called the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or the NAACP. This organization presented a challenge for Washington, as he had founded the National Negro Business, as well as the Urban League. "These activities strengthened and complemented his strategy for achieving equality for blacks."4 Although W.E.B DuBois criticized Washington, he made him and his political ideas stronger for the African American