W.E.B Du Bois had several critiques of Washington and Washington’s propaganda in his work, The Souls of Black Folk. Du Bois never demeaned Washington, and took into observation that he was a great leader and a noble figure in his time. Though Washington might have been talented in taking a stand on what he believed in, Du Bois seemed to think that Washington was not sufficient enough in obtaining the needs and wants of the community he represented.
Du Bois described Washington as too empathetic with the white community, with the leaders of the North, and that he so easily surrendered the rights that the African American community desperately wanted. Du Bois elaborates on this, claiming that the impression left by Washington’s propaganda was that the South’s attitude was justified, Negroes had failed because of their own wrong education in the past, and that the future of their community depended on the Negroes themselves (page 936). Du Bois makes valid and appropriate points not only through his own opinions, but also through the silenced critiques of his community.
In comparing the two different works and the two different men, it is apparent that Washington and Du Bois both desired what was best for their oppressed community, but had two different visions on how to achieve it. Washington wanted it by compromise. Du Bois believed that it was by
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The right to vote. 2. Civic equality. 3. The education of the youth according to ability (page 933).” Du Bois continued to explain that the community understood there might be restrictions to each, but there would be no way to obtain these rights if Washington continued to advocate that Negroes did not actually need them. Washington grew to be a figure that would gain more power than most from his background and Du Bois believed he could have used it