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

Read the following excerpt from a prominent speech delivered in 1895:

"The wisest among my race understand that the agitation of questions of social equality is the extremest folly, and that progress in the enjoyment of all the privileges that will come to us must be the result of severe and constant struggle rather than of artificial forcing."

Based on the excerpt and your knowledge of early African American political thought, which of the following statements best describes W.E.B. Du Bois's critique of this perspective?

  1. A
    He asserted that African Americans should prioritize emigration to West Africa to establish a sovereign nation free from racial oppression.
  2. B
    He claimed that vocational education was entirely counterproductive and that all African Americans should pursue classical liberal arts degrees.
  3. He argued that economic progress was unsustainable without the protection of political rights, civil equality, and access to higher education.Answer
  4. D
    He proposed that the Niagara Movement immediately merge with the Tuskegee Institute under the banner of the NAACP to promote agricultural education.

Answer

W.E.B. Du Bois argued that economic progress was unsustainable without the protection of political rights, civil equality, and access to higher education.
The correct answer is correct because W.E.B. Du Bois argued that Booker T. Washington's emphasis on industrial education and economic accumulation was insufficient on its own. Du Bois maintained that without the right to vote, legal equality, and higher education to train leaders (the Talented Tenth), any economic progress made by African Americans would remain insecure and subject to white supremacist control.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source text to identify the speaker and perspective.
The quote is from Booker T. Washington's 1895 Atlanta Compromise Address, which advocates for focusing on economic self-reliance and vocational education while temporarily accepting social segregation and deferring political agitation.
Understanding the source perspective is necessary to evaluate the counter-arguments.
2
Recall W.E.B. Du Bois's response to Booker T. Washington's philosophy.
In his essay 'Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others' in 'The Souls of Black Folk' (1903), Du Bois argued that Washington's strategy was insufficient because economic advancement cannot be secured without civil rights, political representation (voting), and higher education (the Talented Tenth).
This establishes the core historical debate between the two leaders.
3
Evaluate the answer choices to find the one that matches Du Bois's critique.
The option stating that economic progress is unsustainable without political rights, civil equality, and higher education accurately represents Du Bois's arguments.
This selects the historically accurate option and rejects the distractors that misrepresent Du Bois's stance or confuse historical organizations.

Key Concept

The philosophical debate between Booker T. Washington's economic accommodationism and W.E.B. Du Bois's demands for immediate civil rights and higher education.
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Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois Debate

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