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Difficulty: HardBooker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois Debate

Read the passage below:

"Any law controlling the ballot, that is not made to apply to both races alike, that is not enforced with equal justice to both, must of necessity, in the end, operate to the disadvantage of the white race as well as the Black. No State can make a law that will permit an ignorant, poverty-stricken white man to vote, and prevent a Black man in the same condition from voting, without suffering in its moral and economic development."
— Booker T. Washington, letter to the Louisiana State Constitutional Convention, 1898

Which of the following statements best describes how this passage refines the historical understanding of the debate between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois?

  1. It reveals that Washington did not advocate for the permanent surrender of the franchise, but rather opposed racially discriminatory voting qualifications.Answer
  2. B
    It shows that Washington abandoned his focus on vocational training to adopt Du Bois's emphasis on liberal arts education for the 'Talented Tenth'.
  3. C
    It demonstrates that Washington favored immediate, mass political protest over gradual economic advancement.
  4. D
    It indicates that Washington believed political power must precede economic independence in the struggle for civil rights.

Answer

The correct answer is the option stating that the passage reveals Washington did not advocate for the permanent surrender of the franchise, but rather opposed racially discriminatory voting qualifications.
The correct option is correct because the letter shows Washington arguing against the unequal application of voter restrictions (such as literacy tests or property qualifications). He warns that exempting white voters from these restrictions while applying them strictly to Black voters would harm the state's moral and economic development. This demonstrates that he did not advocate for a permanent surrender of voting rights, but rather sought equal application of laws, adding nuance to the common portrayal of him as entirely accommodationist.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus passage.
Identify that Booker T. Washington is writing to the Louisiana State Constitutional Convention in 1898, arguing that any law regulating the ballot must be applied equally to both races.
Understanding the context and direct claims made by the author is essential to interpreting his strategic goals.
2
Identify Washington's core argument in the letter.
He argues against laws that permit illiterate or poor white men to vote while disenfranchising Black men in the same condition, pointing out the moral and economic cost to the state.
This establishes his opposition to racially discriminatory suffrage laws, even while he accepted gradualism.
3
Evaluate how this argument impacts the historical interpretation of the Washington-Du Bois debate.
It refutes the simplified view that Washington completely and permanently abandoned political rights, demonstrating instead his nuanced stance on suffrage.
This step connects the primary source to the larger historical debate and addresses the core learning objective.

Key Concept

The nuances of Booker T. Washington's stance on franchise and civil rights during his debate with W.E.B. Du Bois.
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Topics

Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois Debate

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