Immediately following the Civil War, African Americans faced great discrimination and suffering. Newly free slaves faced the problem of taking a stand in a society that once viewed them as nothing more than property. During this time, two men became leaders of two different ideas. Booker T. Washington of Virginia and William Edward Burghardt DuBois of Massachusetts had two very different approaches to how best for African Americans to improve their situation. While their methods may have been different, both of these men had a common goal in the upliftment of the black community. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Booker T Washington was among the most important African American leaders of his time. Born in Franklin County, Virginia, in the mid-1850s, he spent his early childhood in slavery. After growing up, Washington felt that a formal education was the best way to improve his standard of living. Due to segregation, the availability of education for blacks was quite limited. In response, Washington went to Hampton Institute where he attended industrial training. At Hampton the focus was on industrial or practical work skills as opposed to the liberal arts. Through his experiences at Hampton, Washington became an educator and advocate for industrial education, founding the Tuskegee Normal and Agricultural Institute. He supported the advancement of African American people through the learning of practical skills, especially business and agricultural skills, rather than through college education and the right to vote. He believed that African Americans should help themselves before whites would help them, and he thought that African American entrepreneurship in learning practical skills would strengthen the solidarity of their community. Rather than attack Jim Crow head-on, he believed that if African Americans helped themselves, they would eventually advance politically and gain civil rights. Born in 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, W. E. B. DuBois grew up both free and in the North. He did not experience the harsh conditions of slavery or Southern prejudice. He grew up in a predominantly white environment, attended Fisk University as an undergraduate, was the first African American to earn a doctorate from Harvard, and was a founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. DuBois demonstrated his political beliefs through his involvement in the Niagara Movement, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and was editor of The Crisis, a black political magazine. He felt that blacks should be educated in the liberal tradition, just like whites. DuBois's approach was well received by other northern freemen. Unlike Booker T. Washington, he wanted African Americans to enjoy civil rights and the right to vote equal to those of whites in a more immediate way than Washington requested. Du Bois thought that the African American elite was critical in bringing about African American equality, so Du Bois advocated for advanced education for African Americans and not just job-related skills. One of the major disagreements of ideas between the two was over the issue of black suffrage. In terms of voting, DuBois believed that campaigning for the vote was necessary, but he opposed giving the vote to uneducated blacks. He believed that economic gains were not secure unless there was political power to protect them. Washington, on the otherpart, he believed that DuBois did more harm than good and only served to irritate Southern whites. Although there were many points of disagreement between Washington and DuBois, there were also similarities in their ideas. Both were committed against lynching and opposed racially motivated violence. While Washington may have emphasized industrial education over the liberal arts, he believed that the liberal arts were beneficial. While both men can be criticized on various aspects of their approaches, both DuBois and Washington were key figures in the advancement of African Americans. Washington and DuBois both pursued racial equality, but had different ideas about how to achieve it. Washington believed in economic equality, then political and social equality. While it was important to build economic stability within the African American community, voting rights were necessary to achieve political and social equality. The DuBois Plan encouraged political and social equality, which was essential at the time. The founding of the NAACP helped pass important laws during the movement. While Washington's plan made sense and was important, W. E. B. DuBois' ideas held true for many African Americans who felt the need for equal rights between the races. Comparing Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois's Novels​The turning point of the 19th century was a period in black history that brought with it major economic, cultural, and political changes. The Reconstruction era and the Gilded Age ended with the rise of authoritative Jim Crow laws, which created a clear divide among the American population. The publication of Booker T. Washington, Up from Slavery and W. E. B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black folks each occurred in the early 1900s, when the oppression of the Negro race in America was best known internationally. The two men's novels are both persuasive writings that questioned the land they lived on. The similarities and differences between the novels of Washington and Du Bois will be evident through their individual composition styles, their beliefs, and their life experiences. First, the two novels clashed in unique style as they were assembled for publication. The story of Booker T. Washington is a chronological retelling of his life from his introduction to the world as a slave in Virginia to his arrival in Virginia as a speaker. His story was written in the first person and, surprisingly, seemed to have an overall happy mood throughout its entirety. However, occasional letters from friends, family, or important people on which Washington commented were inserted into the story. On the other hand, there is Du Bois's novel which is actually a collection of essays and short stories compiled by him in the early 19th century, and rarely enters his life before he becomes an educated man. They are all reflections of his life, and the point of view jumps from first to third in an attempt to make the reader fully understand what it meant to be an African American during that time. Furthermore, all chapters begin with a famous quote and then with musical lines from an African-American song. The verses and songs in a way seem to summarize the chapter before it is even read, as they can relate to each specific story Du Bois tells. Although both stories display different writing techniques, both are important primary sources on the struggles endured by African Americans. Furthermore, these two prominent figures in black history had their own beliefs and responses to the problems of a harsh society. Washington believed that the best interest for blacks of this time might be to acquire artisanal and industrial skills through education.He wanted his brothers and sisters to temporarily curb their struggle for political power and full civil rights and further educate themselves in their industrial and agricultural skills. Then, their self-made economic security would slowly win the acceptance and respect of whites and break the barrier between the two races. Overall, Washington emphasized that education is key and is how post-slavery shackles will be removed from him and black people. His goal was to persuade others by the example of his own life. However, a completely different perspective on how to answer the questionThe problem of race was given by Du Bois. Du Bois was completely against the way Washington was solving the problem and dedicated an entire chapter to the topic in his novel. He believed that educated blacks should unite in the fight for rights and demand them instead of accepting what is given to them. Because an educated man can question the institution of segregation imposed on his race. Du Bois' goal throughout the story was to make the status of the African American race in America known to all. He believed that black people possessed two identities when they looked at themselves. They had finally become Americans, but they still carried their shackled black past with them. Therefore, it is evident that both figures knew that education was the necessary tool, yet both dictated separate ways of applying the knowledge learned. Finally, the individual experiences of Du Bois and Washington are historic in the fight for black equality. Both men lived fulfilling lives, committed to their life's work and the purpose of the black cause. Washington began his educational career at 16 at Hampton Institute while performing janitorial duties to pay for his board. Later, after graduation, he returned to West Virginia and taught adults and children. He then left to study at Wayland Seminary in Washington DC, where upon completion he joined the staff of the Hampton Institute. Years later, in 1881, he was asked to become president of the Tuskegee Institution, which promoted literacy among freed blacks. Here he began the monument to his life's work, as the rest of his days would be spent supporting the school. Then, the year 1895 marked a turning point in his life when he delivered the Atlanta Compromise Speech that would outline his beliefs for the rest of his days. Additionally, in 1900, with the help of T. Thomas Fortune, the creation of the National Negro Business League occurred with Washington the first president. He even accepts Andrew Garrison's invitation to go to Europe and preach his words of wisdom. The book ends with a speech before a mixed crowd of blacks and whites at the City Council in Richmond, Virginia, and Washington has never felt more hopeful for the African-American race. Like Washington, Du Bois was also a highly educated man, as he attended Fisk University and was the first African American to earn a PhD from Harvard. The character of Alexander Crummel seemed to be a great inspiration to Du Bois because of the great example he set throughout his life. WEB Du Bois was a political activist who incorporated his knowledge of sociology into his quest to change racial policies. In conclusion, the late 19th century was a pivotal time in the history of the United States for race relations, and from this arose two great books written by Booker T. Washington and WEB Du Bois. Both were seen as leading black figures of their time who provided answers to a national racial problem. However, there is a clear distinction between their writing styles, belief systems, and life experiences. I liked both, 1868-1963..