Booker T. Washington and the Atlanta Compromise W. E. B. Du Bois

w. e. b. du bois in 1904

in first decade of new century, du bois emerged spokesperson race, second booker t. washington. washington director of tuskegee institute in alabama, , wielded tremendous influence within african-american , white communities. washington architect of atlanta compromise, unwritten deal struck in 1895 southern white leaders dominated state governments after reconstruction. agreement provided southern blacks, overwhelmingly lived in rural communities, submit current discrimination, segregation, disenfranchisement, , non-unionized employment; southern whites permit blacks receive basic education, economic opportunities, , justice within legal system; , northern whites invest in southern enterprises , fund black educational charities.

despite sending congratulations washington atlanta exposition speech, du bois later came oppose washington s plan, along many other african americans, including archibald h. grimke, kelly miller, james weldon johnson , paul laurence dunbar – representatives of class of educated blacks du bois later call talented tenth . du bois felt african americans should fight equal rights , higher opportunities, rather passively submit segregation , discrimination of washington s atlanta compromise.

du bois inspired greater activism lynching of sam hose, occurred near atlanta in 1899. hose tortured, burned , hung mob of 2 thousand whites. when walking through atlanta discuss lynching newspaper editor joel chandler harris, du bois encountered hose s burned knuckles in storefront display. episode stunned du bois, , resolved 1 not calm, cool, , detached scientist while negroes lynched, murdered, , starved . du bois realized cure wasn t telling people truth, inducing them act on truth .

in 1901, du bois wrote review critical of washington s autobiography slavery, later expanded , published wider audience essay of mr. booker t. washington , others in souls of black folk. later in life, du bois regretted having been critical of washington in essays. 1 of contrasts between 2 leaders approach education: washington felt african-american schools should focus on industrial education topics such agricultural , mechanical skills, prepare southern blacks opportunities in rural areas lived. du bois felt black schools should focus more on liberal arts , academic curriculum (including classics, arts, , humanities), because liberal arts required develop leadership elite. however, sociologist e. franklin frazier , economists gunnar myrdal , thomas sowell have argued, such disagreement on education minor point of difference between washington , du bois; both men acknowledged importance of form of education other emphasized. sowell has argued that, despite genuine disagreements between 2 leaders, supposed animosity between washington , du bois formed among followers, not between washington , du bois themselves. du bois himself made observation in interview published in atlantic monthly in november 1965.