Booker W. E. B. Dubois Rhetorical Analysis Essay

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Rhetorical Analysis Two phenomenal leaders of the late 19th and 20th century of the Negro community were Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois. Washington, highly regarded as the most influential black reformer of his time preached ideals of self-help, gradualism, and accommodationism as the solution to the Negro problem. In one of his most important and influential speeches the “Atlanta Compromise”, Washington urged blacks to silently accept racism and discrimination for the time being while investing all of their energy and time into agriculture, mechanics, commerce, domestic service, and in the professions. He believed that executing his plan now would in the long run set African Americans up to gain the respect of the white society and allow the them to be fully integrated into their society as American citizens. Although Du Bois had the same goal as far as uplifting the black race and progress towards an integrated society, he did not believe in the means that…show more content…
Washington and Others” Du Bois assimilates various logical appeals to support his stance on African Americans possessing political power. For instance, Du Bois states, “He is striving nobly to make Negro artisans business men and property-owners; but it is utterly impossible, under modern competitive methods, for workingmen and property-owners to defend their rights and exist without the right of suffrage” (31). This statement is a well constructed argument that compels the audience to believe that without pursuing political equality, they will never be able to advance economically. His argument, enforces that an absence of a voice in political rule will result in being governed by leaders who they did not choose. In turn, these politicians who are selected will diminish and undermine the strength that African Americans hold in politics. With this statement, Du Bois was able to create a credible claim that was supported by reliable evidence and appealed to
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