History
Civil Right Act
The fight for black civil rights is one that has been long and perilous, fought using different approaches by various activists. This paper seeks to look into the various approaches taken by different civil rights activists and how these approaches lead to the changes witnessed in history as well as today’s world.
The first activist, Booker T Washington believed that African Americans should exploit what they had at hand thus the Phrase “casting down the buckets where they were” and this would help them find what they were searching for which was political, social and economic rights(Washington 30). He believed that African Americans had to struggle for the privileges that they wanted. He also believed that African Americans should improve themselves by enhancing education and going for industrial training and starting up businesses to act as an encouragement for them to become intelligent citizens, after which the whites would definitely accord the rights deserved.
Washington was harshly criticized by W.E.B. Du bois in his book souls of black folk, where he strongly asserted that Black Americans ought to be granted their civil rights and not having to wait for it as though it was something they had to earn. He claimed that Washington’s views would encourage continued discriminated against the blacks, withdrawal of any form of help from the Negro institution of higher training, disenfranchisement of the Negro (Du Bois 33) .He felt that Washington didn’t pay attention to the importance of movements in the south to the Negros. According to him the black men of America had the duty to fight for equality and the civil rights.
Hughes is very proud of his African American heritage like Washington and Du bois. Similar to Washington, He believes that justice is a process, one in which he may not necessarily play an active role to attain. Nonetheless, a time for vindication must come. Thus he says “I too, America and tomorrow I will be at the table.”
Dr. King, a renowned civil rights activist also believed and fought strongly against the prejudice and inequalities of the African American people. His approach was one of integrity, dignity, and peace. He abhorred violence and asserted that hatred and bitterness were not to be allowed to cloud the minds of the people of color as the battled against the menacing force behind prejudice. His dream was that his descendants together with those of all other races would one day live together in a land peacefully with each person judged on basis of character (King 122) rather than race. Thus, he believed their destinies were intertwined.
Malcolm X however was the opposite of Dr. King. He believed strongly in aggressive means of acquiring their rightful status and opportunities. He realized that all blacks experienced economic and political exploitation not to mention the social degradation thus called for an integration of all black people regardless of religion especially in 1964, a political year where he advocated for ballot or bullet(X 124). Unlike Langston, he believed that he had to partake of the American rights in order to be termed as one.
All these activists are heroes in the roles then to fight for equality and rights of the blacks regardless of the approaches taken including Robinson who used a letter. Each was able to create a substantial and memorable difference.
REFERENCES
Du Bois, W.E.B. “The Souls of Black Folk. 1903.” Three negro classics 91 (1989): 3–89. Web.
King,Martin Luther,Jr. “I have a Dream speech.”Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.,28
August.1963. Address.
Washington,Booker,T. “Atlanta compromise speech.” International Exposition, Atlanta.,18
September.1895.Address.
X,Malcolm. “The ballot or bullet speech.”Cory Methodist Church, Cleveland Ohio.,3
April.1964.Address.
References
Du Bois, W.E.B. “The Souls of Black Folk. 1903.” Three negro classics 91 (1989): 3–89. Web.
