Copy of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois
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Subject
Philosophy
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
Pages
4
Uploaded by AdmiralKookaburaMaster322
Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois
Primary Source Documents
Guiding Questions: Washington and Du Bois Document A: Booker T. Washington
1) (Close reading) Read lines 1-5. What is Washington encouraging African
Americans to do when he tells them to “cast down their bucket” in making
friends?
Basically telling them to stop trying to be like other races and not try and be friends with
them.
2) (Close reading) Read lines 7-11. What sort of work is Washington encouraging
African Americans to do? And why?
Telling them to be slaves and trying to encourage them that their is not anything wrong
with being a slave. Because he wants them to be slaves and help.
3) (Close reading) Read lines 12-26. What is Washington encouraging white
Southerners to do? And why?
4) (Close reading, corroboration) Louis Harlan, a historian who wrote extensively
about Booker T. Washington’s life and career, has argued that Washington was
willing to ignore the evils of racial segregation in the South if it brought financial
and professional gains to African Americans. What passages from lines 27-34 of
this speech could be used to support Harlan’s conclusion? (Cite the line numbers
of specific sentences or passages.)
5) (Close reading, corroboration) Raymond Smock, a historian who wrote a book
about Washington’s career in 2009, has argued that Washington was willing to
appease white Southerners’ demands for racial inequality in exchange for their
support for his plans. What passages from this speech could be used to support
Smock’s conclusion? (Cite the line numbers of specific sentences or passages.)
17-26
6) (Contextualization) Given the context of the time, why might Washington have
chosen to look the other way on segregation and to appease white Southerners?
Historian Louis Harlan, who has been highly critical of Washington’s approach to civil
rights, acknowledges that Washington privately financed lawsuits that challenged Jim
Crow laws.
7) (Contextualization) Why might Washington have fought inequality privately
instead of openly calling for an end to legal discrimination?
He already spoke about what he believed to the public if he changed his mind now
people would turn against him.
8) Does the fact that he chose to fight Jim Crow laws privately change your
understanding of Washington’s philosophy?
No because he should have done what he felt was right in public.
Document B: W.E.B. Du Bois
9) (Close reading) Read lines 1-9. Based on this passage, what is Du Bois’s main
critique of Washington’s approach to civil rights and education?
Washington telling black people to give up in life. He believes that they should be
educated in school.
10)(Close reading) Read lines 9-12. What is Du Bois saying about Washington’s
emphasis on pursuing economic advancement for African Americans before
pushing for political or social equality?
Basically saying that it could be possible if men are deprived from their rights.
11)(Contextualization) How might Du Bois’s background and experiences have
influenced his perspective on Washington’s philosophy?
Well he was african american himself I believe. He kind of knew first hand.
12)(Close reading, corroboration) Du Bois advocated a different approach to
education for African Americans than did Washington. Where does this document
provide evidence of these differences? (Cite relevant line numbers.)
Document A
lines 1-8 are basically saying that african americans should give up on their
education but Document B is stating how it could be possible for them to be
educated just under certain conditions.
(Contextualization) Du Bois wrote a letter to Washington after the Atlanta speech
in 1895, saying “Let me congratulate you heartily upon your phenomenal success
at Atlanta—it was a word fitly spoken.”
13)How do Du Bois’s sentiments in the letter differ from what he wrote in
The Souls
of Black Folk
eight years later?
He would more than likely not being saying anything to be thanking george washington.
14)(Contextualization) What might explain the differences between what he wrote in
this letter and in
The Souls of Black Folk
?
In the book he was not on washington's side and he was calling him out unlike in the letter he
was thanking and congratulating him. I think that they were different because praising
washington was basically “trending” as of then until he spoke up.
To reinforce students' understanding, view the following
Video
on Booker T. Washington to
better understand his efforts as well as his relationship with W.E.B. DuBois
1) Washington was a very popular figure in the early 1900s. To what do you
attribute his popularity?
He preached about things like material wealth and was warning people not to advocate
for civil rights.
2) What was Booker T. Washington's attitude regarding civil rights? Explain.
He did not really agree with them,He basically wanted women cooking and cleaning and
thats all that they really learned.
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3) Describe the educational focus of Washington’s Tuskegee Institute. Describe
some of his goals.
Women knowing how to sew and clean.
4) Why did W.E.B. Du Bois and other black intellectuals challenge Washington's
leadership? How did Du Bois confront Washington?
Theodore roosevelt stood by his side and he wrote the souls of black folk so both of
those really helped his case, explaining how its “more expensive to lynch black folk” for
white people which was more than likely used as a metaphor for other criticism going
on.
5) Describe some of the criticism Du Bois voiced towards Washington. Do you think
it was fair? Explain.