Du Bois vs. Washington: Competing Visions for Black Progress
This paper critically evaluates W.E.B. Du Bois's essay "Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others," examining how Du Bois forcefully challenged Washington's philosophy of industrial education and gradual accommodation. The paper contrasts Washington's pragmatic focus on vocational training and social etiquette with Du Bois's militant insistence on political power, civil rights, and higher education. It analyzes Du Bois's rhetorical strategies, including his use of hyperbole to underscore the stakes of Black advancement in a Jim Crow society, while acknowledging that both leaders made enduring contributions to the struggle for African-American equality and justice.
- Introduction: Du Bois's militant opposition to Washington's accommodationist approach
- Booker T. Washington's Philosophy of Industrial Education: Washington's vocational training model for Black advancement
- Du Bois's Critique: Militancy and Vision: Du Bois demands political power, civil rights, and higher education
- Rhetoric and Exaggeration in Du Bois's Argument: Du Bois uses hyperbole to intensify critique of Washington
- Conclusion: Both leaders respected despite philosophical differences
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper directly engages with primary source material, quoting Du Bois and Washington to ground its analysis in textual evidence rather than broad generalization.
- It maintains critical balance by acknowledging Du Bois's rhetorical excesses while contextualizing his militancy within the historical realities of Jim Crow, lynching, and segregation.
- The introduction clearly signals the paper's evaluative purpose, setting up a focused argument about why Du Bois's critique succeeds despite its polemical tone.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper models critical contextualization — it evaluates Du Bois's claims not in isolation but against the historical backdrop of Reconstruction-era racial politics and Washington's actual stated positions. By identifying moments of hyperbole and distortion in Du Bois's essay, the author demonstrates the ability to critique a primary source without dismissing its broader significance.
Structure breakdown
The essay opens with a framing of Du Bois's oppositional stance, then provides necessary background on Washington's philosophy before diving into a close reading of Du Bois's arguments. A dedicated section addresses Du Bois's rhetorical overreach, and a brief conclusion restores balance by affirming both men's legacies. The structure moves logically from context to analysis to evaluation, making it a clear model for short critical essays.
Introduction
In his essay "Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others," an excerpt from his landmark book The Souls of Black Folk, W.E.B. Du Bois is militantly and aggressively opposed to Washington's relatively soft, non-controversial approach to educating African-Americans. Du Bois was perceptibly frustrated with any strategy that did not prepare Black Americans for the civil rights battles that lay ahead. He succeeds brilliantly in making his points, and this paper explains why his critique has lasting force — even as it embraces a brutal honesty that takes an American icon to task.
Du Bois shows little patience for what he calls the "old attitude of adjustment and submission" (Nordquist, 2012). When he references "unusual economic development," he is alluding to the industrial revolution. While there is an underlying positive outlook in Du Bois's narrative, he is deeply negative about Washington's objectives and strategies. This was not a new argument; it was part of a long-running debate about how best to advance African-Americans in a society dominated by the white majority.
Works Cited
Biography. 2012. "Booker T. Washington Biography." Retrieved August 20, 2012, from http://www.biography.com.
Nordquist, Richard. 2012. "Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others, by W.E.B. Du Bois." About.com. Retrieved August 20, 2012, from
Washington, Booker T. 1901. Up From Slavery.
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