The Souls of Black Folk by Du Bois - Term Paper Example

? The Souls of Black Folk – Du Bois In his book, The Souls of Black Folk, Du Bois provides an analysis of Washington’s work on racial uplifting and the rights of blacks. Du Bois has argued that blacks need the right to vote, the provision of quality education and to be granted equality and justice. He realizes that there is a distinct line between the blacks and whites and this makes their political, social and economical lives, which calls for separate rights for them in all aspects of life. Du Bois has clearly criticized the work of Washington on this issue, although he does appreciate Washington for being one of the very few black intellectuals who worked towards improving the conditions of the blacks. He says in the book, "One hesitates, therefore, to criticize a life which beginning with so little, has done so much. And yet the time is come when one may speak in all sincerity and utter courtesy of the mistakes and shortcomings of Mr. Washington's career as well as of his triumphs, without being captious or envious and without forgetting that it is easier to do ill than well in the world” (Documenting the American South). Starting with the issue of education, Washington had given the proposal of providing industrial education to blacks in order to alleviate their position in the society. Du Bois, however, held different views and criticized this proposal by saying that the education provided to blacks should not be industrial; rather, it should be one which would form leaders and educators in the black community. He believed that this would prove to be beneficial in the long run and I believe he is right in stating this. The black community needed people from among them who would continue to work for the rights of the blacks, rather than people who would only benefit their own surroundings. Education for African Americans would not only make the social position of people better but also improve the views that others held about blacks. As Du Bois believed, educating the African American would also remove any misconceptions about the black race and would help people recognize the contribution they were making to the society. Du Bois is also critical of Washington as he seems to promote the idea of submissiveness of blacks to the whites’ system. He does this by recommending that blacks give up three major privileges that make them a significant part of the society: political power, i.e. the right to vote, civil rights and higher education. Without these things, it is not possible for African Americans to make economic progress and grow as a society. Without such rights, African Americans would not be able to look at themselves in a respectful way, let alone having others do so. Without an identity of their own, they would not be able to break out of their own shell and move higher up in the society; rather, they will remain submissive all their lives. Washington was focused more on peacefully co-existing in a society dominated by the whites while Du Bois wanted to break this dominance and lead the African American community towards social, political and economic advancement. The policies of Washington seemed that he appeased the white status quo, instead of improving that of the blacks. This was evident through the fact that he believed that the African Americans should retain their status as farmers, work on cash crops and continue living in the south. He discouraged them from moving up north and demanding civil rights. This makes us doubtful of his ability as a leader, as he did not try to improve the position of his people but rather helped them adjust to their circumstances. Du Bois criticized his views as he believed that blacks needed education, not economics, to prosper. With higher education, there would be higher paying jobs and hence a stronger position in the society coupled with economic equality and parity. This was put into words by Du Bois in the following quote: "If we make money the object of maintaining, we shall develop money-makers but not necessarily men; if we make technical skill the object of education, we may possess artisans but not, in nature, men. Men we shall have only as we make manhood the object of the work of the schools – intelligence, broad sympathy, knowledge of the world that was and is and of the relation of men to – this is the curriculum of that Higher Education which underlie true life" (Knight). Du Bois’ argument for civil rights was fully justified because without these, the African Americans could not have a protected position in the society, which was free from discrimination, discernment and exploitation. The civil rights movement for the African Americans grew from the grass root levels and into one of the largest movements ever in the history of the United States of America. This was the time when prominent African Americans rose to fame and earned glory across the world through their legendary acts. Malcolm X, a revolutionary African American, was one of the leaders of the civil rights movement and helped regain the low self-esteem of his fellow African Americans. Similarly, Martin Luther King, Jr. was a staunch promoter of modern American liberalism. Martin Luther King, Jr. also is largely credited for endorsing and sponsoring non-violent civil disobedience as a means of launching protest and condemning the acts of the government of the United States of America, during the African American Civil Rights Movement. “Today, six decades have passed since the U.S. civil rights movement kicked off in the 1950s. Many of the achievements minority groups have made today can be directly traced to the fight for civil rights in the 20th century” (About Race Relations – Civil Rights Movement). There also came a time when the author Du Bois was serving as a teacher in a local school. During this time the author had many experiences and realizations which he shares in this dedicated portion of the book. Du Bois was teaching at a school in the rural plains and areas of Tennessee. He realized and deciphered that greediness had taken its toll in the American society as every other individual had the same motives. The mentioned motive was to gain as much wealth as possible regardless of any considerations of any sort. This was when the author realized that there were reforms and amendments required in each and every faction of the society and the community at large. For example, the author clarifies that he felt that the education sector required reforms in the shape as they had to stop merely teaching the importance and gaining of wealth. The author Du Bois believed that the system, through such measures and policies, was adding to the materialistic attitudes of the American public as well as greediness. Du Bois presented forth a balanced educational approach which also taught about the human societies and civil rights, which the author believed would contribute to improving the race relations. The author Du Bois in his book talks about the then status quo as well as the history of the United States of America. “Cotton is still the life-blood of the Black Belt economy and few African Americans are enjoying any economic success. Du Bois describes the legal system and tenant farming system as only slightly removed from slavery. He also examines African American religion from its origins in African society, through its development in slavery, to the formation of the Baptist and Methodist churches. He argues that "the study of Negro religion is not only a vital part of the history of the Negro in America, but no uninteresting part of American history." He goes on to examine the impact of slavery on morality” (Documenting the American South). The book in its culminating chapters focuses on graver issues. Du Bois has very tactfully brought onto the table, the notion of how racial partiality can affect a person’s life. Du Bois starts off with the mention that he lost his son, while still an infant; however, he condones the fact and simultaneously criticizes the society of that time by showing his deploring over the racial profiling and discrimination against the African American race. Du Bois also refers to a story of an African American individual, who in his struggle to attain the highest status in the Church – that of a priest – was not only discriminated but also hated and finally killed. The book The Souls of Black Folk ends with a few spiritual songs of the African American origin, which have been expressed by the author Du Bois in the form of an essay. According to the author, himself, the aforementioned songs are the ultimate mien of different expressions and feelings that African American of that time possessed. The author considers them as way more than songs and believes that these songs were a way of life for all the African Americans of that era. Works Cited About Race Relations – Civil Rights Movement. N.d. Web. 6 Oct. 2012 . Du Bois, William Edward Burghardt. The Souls of Black Folk. Champaign, Ill: Project Gutenberg, 1990. Internet resource. Documenting the American South. N.d. Web. 6 Oct. 2012 . Knight, Fahim A. W.E.B. du Bois and Booker T.Washington: The Great Debate. 1 January 2008. Web. 6 Oct. 2012 . Read More