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

Read the following passage from W. E. B. Du Bois's *The Souls of Black Folk* (1903):

"So far as Mr. Washington preaches Effort, Patience, and Industrial Training for the masses, we must hold up his hands and strive with him... But so far as Mr. Washington apologizes for injustice, North or South, does not value the privilege and duty of voting, belittles the emasculating effects of caste-distinctions, and opposes the higher training and ambition of our brighter minds... we must unceasingly and firmly oppose them."

Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between the strategies of Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois as expressed in this passage?

  1. Du Bois agreed with the utility of industrial education for the general population but argued that it was insufficient without political rights and higher education for leadership.Answer
  2. B
    Du Bois completely rejected Washington's focus on industrial training and agricultural education, advocating instead that all African Americans receive a classical liberal arts education.
  3. C
    Washington argued that political representation and civil rights were secondary to economic independence, which Du Bois believed should be permanently delayed.
  4. D
    Washington and Du Bois held entirely incompatible visions for Black progress, with no agreement on the necessity of education or economic advancement.

Answer

Du Bois agreed with the utility of industrial education for the general population but argued that it was insufficient without political rights and higher education for leadership.
The correct answer accurately captures the nuanced perspective presented in the passage: Du Bois acknowledges the value of industrial education for the masses ('we must hold up his hands and strive with him') but argues that Washington's accommodationist approach to civil rights and higher education is fundamentally flawed and must be opposed.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the passage to identify points of agreement.
Du Bois expresses support for Washington's emphasis on 'Effort, Patience, and Industrial Training for the masses,' showing they shared common ground on the need for economic preparation and vocational education.
To understand the areas of alignment between the two figures before examining their divergence.
2
Analyze the passage to identify points of disagreement.
Du Bois opposes Washington's willingness to accommodate political disenfranchisement ('duty of voting'), social inequality ('caste-distinctions'), and the restriction of higher education ('higher training... of our brighter minds').
To pinpoint the precise criticisms Du Bois levels against Washington's accommodationist strategy.
3
Synthesize the two components to identify the correct description of their relationship.
The correct description must reflect both the partial alignment (education and economic effort) and the core disagreement (the necessity of political rights and higher education to secure those economic gains).
To evaluate the options and eliminate those that oversimplify the debate as a purely oppositional binary.

Key Concept

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

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