E. B. Dubois And The Atlanta Compromise By Booker T. Washington

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress” -Frederick Douglass. African Americans have gone through tremendous struggles and hardships throughout history, and whenever it seemed like something went right, something wrong would happen at the same time, this “struggle” Though, has led to outstanding progress towards the equality of the African American race. In “The Souls of Black Folk” by W.E.B. Dubois and “The Atlanta Compromise” by Booker T. Washington, Dubois and Washington give their opinions on the education of African Americans. I believe that both provide very logical options for the education of blacks, but Washington gives a better option for the time period and the historical context of the relationship between blacks and whites.

Dubois believes that blacks should shoot for higher, liberal arts education of the youth as he believes that will give them the best and easiest path to integrating into America’s white-led economy and society. “Such men feel in conscience bound to ask of this nation three things… 3. The education of youth according to ability” (Dubois). Dubois believes that every American, black or white, should ask, no, demand, for the education of youth. He believes that youth education should be given and that it is an outrage that blacks have to be asking for it. Meanwhile, Booker T. Washington believes that blacks should seek industrial education as a way to get African Americans involved in the American economy. He believed that this would allow blacks to get industrial jobs and eventually integrate into American society because they would become a huge part of the economy. “Cast it down in agriculture, in mechanics, in commerce, in domestic service, and in the professions” (Washington). Washington is telling the African American people that they must cast down their “bucket”, their culture, into the jobs that run the economy of America so that they may finally reach