Essay On Booker T Washington On African American Education

The late 19th to early 20th century was a time of differing ideologies when it came to African American advancement in the United States. On the one hand, there was the idea of self-help and economic progress that led to encouragements of black people uniting to help themselves and allowing their businesses to grow. Through this method, they would earn respect from whites and rid themselves of the prejudices that restricted and segregated them. These ideas were preached by many, but a prominent figure and spokesperson for the philosophy of accommodation was Booker T. Washington. On the contrary, there were also people who viewed expressing discontent and taking political action as the ideal way to attain rights. Among the more militant blacks

Washington’s stance on African American education reflected his ideals of economic prosperity in the black community. He believed in an industrial education for all blacks in order to teach them job skills and prepare them for making a living. In order to realize these beliefs, Washington founded the Tuskegee Institute which taught students valuable skills allowing them to return to their communities and make beneficial contributions. Tuskegee was itself a model of job skills as it’s buildings and furniture was constructed by students. As the graduates traveled across the south and spread the word, industrial education became increasingly popular (Strickland, Reich

The Niagara Movement was started by W.E.B. in order to counter Washington’s philosophy of accommodation. Beginning in June, 1905, this organization encouraged African Americans to protest against oppression instead of submitting to it and accepting their status as inferior. The aim of this was “to protest against disfranchisement and Jim Crow laws and to demand equal rights of education, equal civil rights, equal economic opportunities, and justice in the courts” (Strickland, Reich 54). After meeting in Fort Erie, Canada to discuss the movement, the members branched off to promote it in their local areas but within a year there were still only 150 participants who only extended to seventeen states. Overall, the organization was growing slowly and after several meetings it became evident that it could not continue. Although it was a failure, it influenced black thoughts and beliefs and ensured the philosophy of accommodation was questioned. It was followed by other leagues and movements but it was still the first the “first organized black protest movement” (Strickland, Reich 56). Thanks to Du Bois, protesting and taking action for equality became a more public