This Rivalry Was The Catalyst For The Civil Rights Movement

civil rights marchers in washington dc
Alyssa Guzik
June 11, 2024

Here's the thing about working together even when we disagree: it can move everyone forward. We challenge our own assumptions and the other side’s perspective, generate new insights, and reach better solutions. A perfect example is the beef between W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington.

W.E.B. Du Bois, an internationally respected civil rights leader and scholar, argued that freedom and autonomy would always remain out of reach without equal rights and opportunities under the law. While he preferred peaceful activism, he acknowledged that sometimes violent resistance was the only way to combat systemic oppression.

Booker T. Washington, founder of the Tuskegee Institute, emphasized the importance of self-reliance to break free from the system of oppression. By advocating for vocational training and practical skills, Washington sought to empower Black people to create our own opportunities and become financially self-sufficient.

The more radical Du Bois believed in immediate social and political equality for Black folks, while Washington advocated a more gradual approach. Their disagreement opened up a space for conversations among Black people and laid the foundation for future activists to challenge oppression and demand equal rights in different ways.

The trading of words and ideas between Du Bois and Washington began a century of debate on achieving legal and social liberation for Black people. Although we may sometimes disagree, that doesn’t mean we can’t move forward.

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