Dubois Extra Credit
Content
Robert M. House A.A.S. 2010 Extra Credit Dr. Dunham 2/26/13 W.E.B. DuBois: A Biography In Four Voices W.E.B Dubois was a very intellectual Civil Rights leader whose life work contributed to the start of the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s modern Civil Rights Movements. Dubois was born in February 23, 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. He was the first African-American to earn a PhD from Harvard University. Before Dubois rose to national prominence, Booker T. Washington was the most well-known Black man in America and certainly the most popular. He was so influential because so many whites and blacks alike liked his ideas of getting equal rights for Blacks in America. Washington advocated for integrationist-assimilationist ideas instead of specifically calling for equal rights for Blacks. He believed that only through the development of technical skills could the advancement of the Black person in America be possible. This is why he commissioned a deal with a group of wealthy white and blacks included to create the Tuskegee Program where Blacks could go to attain and develop technical skills such as carpentry and welding as part of their curriculum. The goal of his Tuskegee program was to not only give an academic knowledge and skills but to produce teachers of farming and trades in different schools throughout the country. He expected that if they taught black people the skills that society needed that Blacks would play their part in society which would lead to their acceptance by white America. Washington’s assimilationist’s aspirations for the Black community differed greatly from the views of Dubois. Dubois believed that increased political involvement by the Black elite and the promotion of education was the key to getting Black people their civil rights.
Dubois formed the Niagara Movement which was a groups of Black Elites, that met to discuss a plan to publically speak out and proclaim Black Civil Rights publically. When Washington received public criticism from critics at a local barber shop, Dubois had to pick a side because he had previously worked for the Tuskegee machine as he called. He chose the side of his critics and spoke out for the rights of Black people and over his 95 year life was a pillar in the Black Civil Rights Mmovement
Dubois formed the Niagara Movement which was a groups of Black Elites, that met to discuss a plan to publically speak out and proclaim Black Civil Rights publically. When Washington received public criticism from critics at a local barber shop, Dubois had to pick a side because he had previously worked for the Tuskegee machine as he called. He chose the side of his critics and spoke out for the rights of Black people and over his 95 year life was a pillar in the Black Civil Rights Mmovement
