Shipler in his essay “Jefferson Is America and America Is Jefferson,” Jefferson represents the most powerful contradiction of American society, because his declaration of individual liberty showed the brilliance of his extraordinary mind but also he claims that black people are inferior. Shipler considers that Jefferson had a deep understanding but at the same time he was such an ignorant person about what was happen, at that time concerning liberty and slavery. Slavery was a contradictory subject in Jefferson’s life. Although he was a defender for individual freedom and at one point he was against of slavery in America, but he owned slaves throughout his life. He was a politician that would speak out about slavery but would still employ slaves for his own use.
Lee wrote was a letter to his wife about slavery in 1856. In this letter Lee talks about how “The blacks are immeasurable better off here than in Africa, morally, socially and physically.” By saying this Lee shows his willingness to accept the African American society into the southern white society. Lee isn’t necessary an anti-slavery activist but he isn’t a pro-slavery supporter either. Robert E. Lee once stated that he saw slavery as necessary but not proper. Lee concluded that slavery would help both white and black races grow equally.
Mervy Michael HIST 366-001/ Prof. Moran Final Paper 12/2/14 Topic 2: Protest versus Accommodation: The W.E.B. Du Bois & Booker T. Washington Debate Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Du Bois are revered as two of the most important figures in black history. Booker T. Washington was born a slave to a black mother and white father. Throughout his whole life he was quite poor and from a young age worked in salt mines. Through a scholarship, however, he was able to study at Hampton Normal Agricultural Institute of Virginia and years later he graduated in 1875.
Dominique Beck History 11 July 9 2011 Up From Slavery: Summary and Opinion Booker T. Washington, born April 5th, 1856, was a famed educator, author, orator, and political leader. He was also the international leader for the betterment of African American lives in the South after the Reconstruction period. Washington spent a great deal of his life fighting for economic and social improvement of Blacks while still accommodating Whites, in regards to voting rights and social equality. During the years 1900 through 1901, Booker T. Washington started publishing his first autobiography, Up from Slavery, an account of his life. It was published at first in the popular magazine Outlook, which helped it to reach a more diverse audience; it was
When her husband Teddy was elected president, she was the voice in his ear that convinced him to change some things regarding African- American rights. In the 1930’s, Eleanor Roosevelt made it clear that she was not happy with the quality of education for black men. She told the Conference of Negro Education that she believed that since the standard of education was low, the standard of living was also low. She became a huge public figure among blacks and quickly received many letters from African- Americans explaining their troubles with
Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Dubois are arguably two most influential figures on the movement to achieve civil rights for black Americans. They both played large roles in trying to improve racial relations and civil rights during the late 19th and 20th centuries. Although they were both focused on enhancing the quality of black life in the United States, the fact that Washington was from the south and Dubois was from the north caused their views to differ. The “Atlanta Exposition speech” by booker T. Washington addressed the topic of racial relations in the south. “Of Mr.Booker T. Washington and others” was written by W.E.B Dubois as a critique of Washington and his views on the improvement of black life.
This is most evident in Booker T. Washington's, The Atlanta Exposition Address and W.E.B. Du Bois response to this, The Souls of Black Folk. Booker T. Washington’s gradualism stance gives him a popular appeal among both blacks and whites, although W.E.B. Du Bois has the upper hand when it comes to ideology dealing with economic prosperity among blacks. Washington favors the humble, ask nicely, appreciate what you’re given, and say thank you approach to obtaining social equality.
To him, emancipation and the freedom of blacks- who now have some sense of control over their lives- was a milestone. I too agree that it was milestone, but unlike me, Washington was content to stay at that level of existence. After slavery, Whites were still very much in control of Black's lives and affairs. There was plenty of injustice and prejudice that led to an inequality in schooling. Washington sought to raise the bar in the Black community's education.
In 1876, Washington went to live back in West Virginia and he began teaching bible school classes at African Zion Baptist church. Washington’s determination to help improve the Negro population has had tremendous impact on many. “Cast down your bucket in agriculture, mechanics, in commerce, in domestic service, and in the professions,” says Washington to the Negros (Atlanta Compromise-Washington). He proposes that the Negros should get jobs from the northerners who have factories and not enough workers. “No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem,” claims Washington (Atlanta Compromise-Washington).
WHY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH IMPORTANT When it comes to history the first thing you hear your classmates say, is”Not history again.” But what they don’t know and understand is that in order to became a better person you must not make the mistakes of the past generations, but learn from their mistakes and also do thing that have helped other people in the past to became better people. One such example is the slavery of Black African people that were brought in Africa and sold in America, were they worked on big cotton plantations under marginal living conditions. Although they were treated badly, underpaid and exploited they still stayed positive that they would one day return to Africa, the Lord of their ancestors. That day never come, instead the slaves mostly became Christians and started to live like their owners and today most African-American people you see are descendants of slaves.