Du Bois and Washington

Booker T Washington states, "It is important and right that all privileges of the law be ours, but it is vastly more important that we be prepared for the exercises of these privileges" (763). Washington Obviously hates racism and prejudice and attempts to find a solution for dealing with these issues in America. He states that he is aware of the criticism of his ideas and statements but fully believes he is right and will continue to stand for what he believes in. Washington believes that equal rights will come to the blacks-in time. He tries to always be somewhat politically correct in that he never comes out and fully blames Whites for the oppression of his race and he admits that blacks need to put forth effort to make changes as well. He believes in universal suffrage yet he makes a comment about blacks he knows of have become wealthy with the help of Whites but would refuse to ask those same Whites for advice in casting their ballots. He appears slightly ambiguous in his beliefs about universal suffrage, almost criticising his own race for avoiding collaboration with Whites by reason of principle. He states as well that he believes the voting tests should be designed equally to prevent the case in which he mentions a poor, uneducated Black cannot vote while a white man of the same status is allowed. Washington almost seems to underestimate the capabilities of Blacks when he states that they must realize that "there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem". He continuously mentions that racism is not going to end overnight and that blacks must learn to be content and feel dignity in everything they do and not feel less human in comparison with Whites and the jobs they perform. He states that Blacks must begin at the bottom and work their way to the top and not expect equality overnight. He encourages Whites to see the benefits of free blacks and for all to come together to form one nation and encourages the blacks to be patient throughout the process yet he admits that this time will come when the Whites are ready to grant equality to the blacks.
Du Bois points out that Washington did have many triumphs but also made many mistakes in his ideas. He refers to Washington as a "compromiser between the South, the North, and the Negro" (888). His most compelling argument against Washington is that he "accepts the alleged inferiority of the Negro races"(889). He believes that Washington implies that the Blacks can only survive by being submissive. He criticises Washington's expecting Blacks to give up political power, civil rights and higher education and focus on accumulating wealth. Du Bois adds that Washington's ideas are ambiguous in that he expects Blacks to become wealthy business-men yet without suffrage, this would be impossible. He believes that the constant prejudice against Blacks is a result of their degradation yet Washington himself underestimates (thus degrades) Blacks. Du Bois believes that Washington's efforts have in effect pushed the burden of equality from the nations' shoulders to the Blacks' alone. He does add that Thrift, Patience and Industrial Training for all are great principles of Washington's but he counter-acts his own principles and beliefs by appearing to apologize to the Whites for things that were out of the Blacks hands. Du Bois appears to be angry at Washington for apologizing for the blacks and expecting them to temporarily settle for less than equality in order to appease the Whites into eventually granting equality.
When first reading Washington's address, my first thought was that he appears to be trying to flatter the Whites into eventually agreeing with him and granting equality. He does appear to be convincing Blacks to "pick their battles" but I also felt as though he made a lot of genuine statements as well. He makes it clear that he does not expect special privileges for Blacks, but only wants to be equal. He scorns the fact that uneducated Whites have more privileges than uneducated Blacks. He appears to be trying to motivate and encourage his own race to be proud of who they are and help them recognize that they are not yet equal and they must take baby steps to eventually one day get there. Du Bois obviously wants equality as well but resents the fact that Washington feels the need to announce the inferiority of Blacks in order to do so. Washington's beliefs seem to be more of a compromise between the two races where Du Bois feels no need to apologize for Blacks' inferiority when it wasn't their fault they were inferior in the first place. He does not feel that Blacks should have to compromise their dignity and "pick their battles" to get what they rightly deserve. Both Washington and Du Bois have the same goals, they simply differ in what they are willing to compromise to obtain them.