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W. E. B. Dubois And Race Relations In The Gilded Age

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Despite the fact that slavery ended, race relations in the Gilded age were in poor condition. In most aspects of public life, African Americans had been allowed to make little progress from 1870-1900. This fact directly influenced progressive age activists, such as W.E.B DuBois, in their efforts to advance their lives socially and politically. The Gilded age is define as the time between about 1870 and 1900. During this time African Americans were given the right to vote, if you were male, and citizenship. However, the federal government and state governments limited these right in every they legally could. States cheated black voters in a variety of ways, from poll taxes, to holding white-only primary elections, to unreasonably difficult …show more content…

Ferguson, decided that “separate but equal” accommodations were legal and not a type of discrimination. The Gilded age also saw the exponential growth of the KKK which operated all over the country with little fear of legal retribution. The Gilded age was not a promising time for African Americans(O’Connor lecture 1-19-18). Social inequality was a considerable issue that needed to be addressed in the progressive era. W.E.B DuBois, a Harvard educated civil rights activist, wrote in a letter to president Woodrow Wilson that “...a determination on the part of intelligent and decent Americans to see that no man is denied a reasonable chance for life, liberty, and happiness simply because of the color of his skin is simple, sane and practical solution of the race problem in this land. The education of colored children, the opening of the gates of industrial opportunity to colored workers, absolute equality of all citizens before …show more content…

At his famous Niagara Movement speech in 1905, DuBois said “...with the right to vote goes everything: Freedom, manhood, the honor of your wives, the chastity of your daughters, the right to work, and the chance to rise, and let no man listen to those who deny this”(DuBois). This speech was made at the first meeting of the Niagara Movement, which was an organization campaigning for civil rights. In this speech he is calling for an end to discrimination and for their civil rights to be recognized. Much like the letter to President Woodrow Wilson, he is calling for action to be taken immediately. These two document are similar in that they both want action to be taken and they want it done as soon as possible. DuBois makes it very clear that the fact that the Gilded age did not change any aspect of African Americans’ status, socially and politically, was unacceptable and it was time for that to change. Even though they were presented on different occasions to different audiences, the messages are very similar. They both want

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Washington was born a slave in the south. DuBois was born free and in the north. Washington believed that blacks should earn rights from hard work. DuBois believed that blacks should have freedom now. Washington said that blacks should stop agitating for voting and civil rights not only in exchange for economic gains and security, but also for reduced anti-black violence.

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Maurice Willows: Unsung Hero of the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 During the early 1900s, African Americans continued their struggle for civil rights on a national scale with seemingly no definitive solution in sight. In the wake of one of the most violent race riots in American history, one man sought to overlook racial differences and the rules of his own organization to provide aid to those in need. Through the leadership of Maurice Willows during the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot, the American Red Cross compromised their mission enabling the organization to be the sole responder, provider of relief, and champion of African American rights. Maurice Willows’ decision to defy the tenets of the Red Cross made him an unsung hero who saved countless lives.

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African-American historian W.E.B Dubois illustrated how the Civil War brought the problems of African-American experiences into the spotlight. As a socialist, he argued against the traditional Dunning interpretations and voiced opinions about the failures and benefits of the Civil War era, which he branded as a ‘splendid failure’. The impacts of Civil War era enabled African-Americans to “form their own fraternal organizations, worship in their own churches and embrace the notion of an activist government that promoted and safeguarded the welfare of its citizens.”

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WEB DuBois once described the Reconstruction as "[the] period in which the Negro stood briefly in the sun and then stepped back into slavery . The end of the Reconstruction in the mid 1870's did not shed much light on situation because it left Blacks legally subjected to the same conditions as before. As an example, the Plessey vs. Ferguson Supreme Court case of 1896 legally made Blacks second-class citizens through its ˜separate but equal' decision. Given the failure of the Reconstruction, Two influential and contrasting individuals, Booker T. Washington, WEB DuBois decided to address the matter of equality amongst Black and white America, respectively. Booker T. Washington's key strategy can be summarized in one word, pragmatism “here

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In the analysis of the abundance of wonderful leaders who made a difference in the African American community since emancipation, W.E.B Du Bois made a special impact to advance the world. From founding the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, to his influential book The Souls of Black Folk, he always found an accurate yet abstract way of verbalizing the strives of African Americans as well as making platforms for them to be known. Although he had less power than most of the bigger named African American leaders of his time, W.E.B Dubois’ overweighing strengths verses weaknesses, accurate and creative analogies, leadership style, and the successful foundations he stood for demonstrates his ability to be both realistic and accurate in his assessment since emancipation. Though Du Bois did have a beneficial impact

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3. In which areas does DuBois agree and/or disagree with Washington? The area that Dubois agrees with Washington is that African Americans need to increase their knowledge so that they can earn a living. That if African Americans learned a trade, it would help increase “their knowledge of the world”.

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DuBois’s first post-dissertation book, The Philadelphia Negro, released in 1899, determined that housing and employment discrimination were the principal barriers to racial equality and black prosperity in the urban North. (blackpast.org/aah/dubois-william-edward-burghardt-1868-1963) In his written book, The Souls of Black Folks, released in 1903, he argued for "manly" and "ceaseless agitation and insistent demand for equality” which demanded a education of equality for blacks that’s not inferior to whites. (W. E. B. Du Bois and the NAACP, Virginia Historical Society) Du Bois promoted the idea of self improvement, without giving up full citizenship rights, which impacted the general well being of African American and visualized the idea of having an exclusive group of all black, educated leaders called “The

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However Booker T. Washington believed in having a more skillful education, consisting of learning how to trade, mastering agriculture skills and more things one would need to get a job. However, W.E.B DuBois also put many efforts to achieve equal rights towards African Americans which Booker T Washington put on hold. Booker T Washington’s plan was to make it so that “Blacks would [have to] accept segregation and discrimination but their eventual acquisition of wealth and culture would gradually win for them the respect and acceptance of whites”. This vision that Booker T Washington had “practically accepts the alleged inferiority of the Negro race”. W.E.B commented on this process saying it was an attempt, “to educate black boys and girls simply as servants and underlings.”

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Booker T. Washington & W.E.B. DuBois Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois were both well-known black leaders of the late 19th and early 20th centuries (Muhummad, K., 2013). They were both instrumental in the educational development of African Americans and advocates of civil rights. Although they shared a few similar goals when it came to civil rights for African Americans, due to the vast difference in their upbringing, Washington and DuBois’ strategy for blacks gaining those rights were different (Muhummad, K., 2013). Whereas Washington was a bit more passive, DuBois was more outspoken and confrontational. No matter the differences in their approach, the end goal they had in mind was the same.

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Do you know the similarities and differences between W.E.B Dubois and Booker T. washington? If not that what i'm here talk about in this essay because they have same wants but in different ways. They both want education, types of work/jobs, equality etc for the blacks but told it in different ways how they see how it should be like. Booker T. and W.E.B DeBois help us to be where we are right now by fighting for what they believe in and getting where they are when they are successful. These are the things they did to get us where we are now.

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W.E.B. DuBois founded the NAACP, which advocated for an opposition against racism and segregation towards the black community. His plan to provide blacks with an equal footing in society was based upon receiving education, which in turn he hoped would bring about respect and equality from all, especially whites.

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Between 1880 and 1910 progressivism was the improvements and progress of the United States of America by the expansion of democracy and achieving economic and social fairness. During that period of time progressivism was an opportunity for the government to create reforms at national and international measures. Such as: Child Labor Law of 1887 and the prohibition. The strength of progressivism came from farmers, politicians, and middle class workers. Progressivism is truly how the government regulated, got involved, and changed aspects to improve the country.

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During the first two decades of the twentieth century, a large and diverse number of Americans claimed the political label “Progressive.” Progressives all shared a common fundamental belief of developing methods to counteract against the political and social issues of the time. They thrived in tackling some of the most crucial issues of society, as they were able to improve the conditions of the urban environment, increase the democratic influence of citizens, and sap most corruption out of the government. However, as the Progressive Movement successfully managed to cover those areas, it was limited to solving the issues of only white Americans, failing to represent the minorities, especially African Americans.

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Another issue that the NAACP and Dubois had was with lynching. Through “The Crisis”, Dubois was able to expose many of the horrors of lynching and have it out there for the general public. Through his many anti-lynching pieces, Dubois was able to garner a significant amount of support against lynching and this eventually led to an anti-lynching law. This was a huge win for all African Americans. In addition, Dubois also helped African Americans culturally through his pieces promoting black creativity.

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The Gilded age was a period in the late 1800s (1865-1900) that showed tremendous increase of wealth caused by the industrial age. The lifestyle of the rich during this period hid the many problems of the time that eventually brought about the progressive era movement. This was a movement for reform between 1900-1920s. Progressives typically held that the irresponsible actions of the rich were corrupting both public and private life. Forces such as immigration, the Populist Party and industrialization that led to the progressive era also impacted the American government both in its activeness and its democracy.

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