W.E.B. Dubois and Mr. Booker T Washington and others
William Dubois, Booker T Washington, and others played an integral role in the freeing of Africans both within and without the United States from oppression. Dubois for example was born in 1909 in the state of Massachusetts. He was to attain an education and a career as a lecturer in various institutions of high learning such the University of Atlantic. It was Dubois’ intellect that enabled him to be actively involved in agitating for better treatment of Africans in the United States. For instance, Dubois fought for full civil rights of African Americans. He was of the view that the freedom of African Americans would enable them to attain more education and enhance their economic stability. He was also of the view that the education and freedom of African Americans would increase their political participation and representation. This indicates that Dubois was concerned about the socio-economic and political development of African Americans.
It is also important to understand that Dubois was not only concerned about the welfare of Africans in the United States. He was also concerned about the form of oppressions that Africans were experiencing outside the United States. For example, as the United States wrestled with issues of segregation and mistreatment of African Americans, other continents in Africa and Asia were struggling to free themselves from the chains of colonialism and imperialism that was being castigated by European powers in the quest for addressing the mercantilist interests. Dubois visited the affected continents and played a key role in motivating these nations to fight for their independence. For example, Dubois was instrumental in the creation of the Pan African Congress and nationalistic movements in third world nations whose people had suffered for many years under colonial rule. The work of William Dubois was supported by other likeminded nationalists and civil rights leaders such as Booker T Washington.
Despite the fact that these leaders worked towards a common cause of political emancipation and socio-economic empowerment of the African people, the approaches of these leaders was different. For example, Booker T Washington was supportive of white government initiatives such as the Atlanta Comprise. Washington was of the view that African Americans could compromise to their domination by the white masters provided that they attained education and economic prosperity. According to Booker T Washington, education and economic empowerment could benefit African Americans in the long-term. On the contrary William Dubois was of the view that African Americans needed total emancipation from their white masters. He vehemently opposed the Atlanta Compromise and supported the granting of full civil rights to African Americans by the white government that was in leadership at the time (Gates & McKay 69).
In spite of the differences that these leaders had in the quest for the freedom of their people, the fact remains that they all wanted Africans and African people to be treated equally as other races of the world. It was only through equal treatment and equal opportunities that every member of society, in spite of their skin color or creed would be able to prosper and progress. Equal treatment of all people was the only way that stability would be attained both within and without the United States. Therefore, the nationalistic and emancipation endeavors of great leaders such as William Dubois and Booker T Washington played a key role in the freedom of African Americans, and the African people of the world.
Works Cited
Gates, Henry Louis, and Nellie Y. McKay. The Norton anthology of African American literature. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1996. Print.
