Comparing W. E. B. Dubois And Booker T. Washington

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Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” King’s words immaculately depict Booker T. Washington’s methods of ending discrimination in the Jim Crow south. While King’s words perfectly depict Washington’s philosophy, they directly rebut against WE.B Dubois’ methods of ending discrimination in the Jim Crow south. Even though both men agreed that African Americans deserved the fair treatment, they combatted viewpoints on how to resolve the issue. Booker T. Washington believess that African Americans should be proficient in manual labor before even considering the possibilities of political positions or equal rights, on the other hand, W.E.B …show more content…

Washington believe African Americans deserve equal rights, yet the government continuously declines these rights on the notion that African Americans are an inferior race. Washington argues that it is important for African Americans to have equal rights, but he also believes African Americans need to find a way to be prepared for their newfound privileges. In his Atlanta Compromise speech, Washington states, “It is important and right that all privileges of the law be ours, but it is vastly more important that we be prepared for the exercise of these privileges.”(Washington 2) In this quote, Booker T. Washington evinces his viewpoint by crediting privileges in the constitution must be presented upon every citizen of the United States, but he advises his fellow African Americans to be wary of their newfound rights. Like Washington, Dubois also believes that African Americans deserve equal rights. In his Niagara Movement speech, he states, “We will not be satisfied to take on jot or tittle less than our full manhood rights.”(Dubois 1) This quote expounds W.E.B Dubois’ viewpoint as being similar to Washington in that both men believe that African Americans deserve equal rights, yet they are continuously being being refused these