Note: This is my take on chapter three of “The Souls of Black Folk” (1903) by W.E.B. Du Bois. It is the chapter on Booker T. Washington:
Blacks face three main choices in every period of US history (Du Bois’s words, my numbering, bolding and formatting):
“the attitude of the imprisoned group may take three main forms, –
- a feeling of revolt and revenge;
- an attempt to adjust all thought and action to the will of the greater group; or, finally,
- a determined effort at self-realization and self-development despite environing opinion.”
Nat Turner is an example of the first, Booker T. Washington the second, and Du Bois the third.
Among Whites, almost none believe in the first when it comes to Black people, some believe in the third, and nearly all believe in the second. Booker T. Washington would not have had nationwide appeal unless he chose the second.
Booker T. Washington was an improbable figure. Who would dream that a Black man would help Whites North and South come together after the Civil War? Who would dream that a Black leader would tell Blacks not to fight for their rights?
White Southerners liked Washington because he did not push for Black civil rights.
White Northerners liked Washington because they had grown tired of pushing for Black civil rights – and wanted to get on with making money in the South.
But Blacks:
“resented, at first bitterly, signs of compromise which surrendered their civil and political rights, even though this was to be exchanged for larger chances of economic development.”
And so the nation came together at the cost of Black civil rights.
“Thus, by national opinion, the Negroes began to recognize Mr. Washington’s leadership, and the voice of criticism was hushed.”
Washington did help Blacks – he opposed lynching, he raised millions for Black education, he was a Black voice Whites would listen to, even the president. Many Blacks bit their tongues to not undercut him.
But Washington’s limited vision – economic uplift without political rights, industrial training without higher education – was riven with paradox:
- Economic gains are hard to defend without the right to vote.
- Self-respect through material success is hard to achieve while accepting second-class citizenship.
- Industrial training schools are hard to run without Black colleges that produce teachers.
And he let Whites believe in the Bootstrap Myth, as I call it, the idea that the main thing holding Blacks back is a lack of hard work. It was a cheap, self-serving belief in 1903 – and it still is in 2017.
In a democracy, according to Du Bois, no leader, Black or White, should be above criticism, most especially those who do not stand for equal rights for all:
“it is wrong to aid and abet a national crime simply because it is unpopular not to do so.”
“We have no right to sit silently by while the inevitable seeds are sown for a harvest of disaster to our children, black and white.”
– Abagond, 2017.
See also:
- Booker T. Washington
- W.E.B. Du Bois
- The Souls of Black Folk
- The Souls of White Folk
- Nat Turner
- Obama retrospective
- Black Liberals
- Bootstrap Myth
- Books I wish I had read sooner
527
Blacks face three main choices in every period of US history (Du Bois’s words, my numbering, bolding and formatting):
“the attitude of the imprisoned group may take three main forms, –
Another way to describe our involuntary immigrant status.
a feeling of revolt and revenge;
May cover black nationalism,panafricanism,BLM and
on a more immediate level – avioding and dispising white dominated settings,groups and institutions,
Cursing and disparaging white people generally and specifically,etc
an attempt to adjust all thought and action to the will of the greater group;
Intergration ,assimulation,practicallism
Critical anaylsis and recognition of the independence of knowledge ,skill ,wealth and morality from white group hegamony or dominace vs simplistic non critical acceptance of white is right ;if you read,think study,dream and attempt to excell – your acting “white”!
or, finally,
a determined effort at self-realization and self-development despite environing opinion.”
My,abagond’s,many commenters here from the content of some of thier comments in my opinion.
Being humans I think we have or occupy all three to varying degrees based on circumstances and variables.
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“In a democracy, according to Du Bois, no leader, Black or White, should be above criticism”
Tell that to Obamites (black) and Hillarions (white).
“Blacks face three main choices in every period of US history
1“the attitude of the imprisoned group may take three main forms, –
a feeling of revolt and revenge;
2an attempt to adjust all thought and action to the will of the greater group; or, finally,
3a determined effort at self-realization and self-development despite environing opinion.”
… Booker T. Washington would not have had nationwide appeal unless he chose the second.”
In our period Barack Obama is Booker T Washington.
“Booker T. Washington was an improbable figure. Who would dream that a Black man would help Whites North and South come together after the Civil War?”
Who would have dreamed it? Somebody like Obama.
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Check out “The Birth of a Movement” on Independent Lens.
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I believe Booker T. Washington’s actions likely helped many people achieve things that would otherwise have been impossible. However, I can see where he may have been more motivated by personal success and notoriety gained by his “helping others”. Have you read “Up From Slavery” (his autobiography)? I came away with the impression that he kind of parallels many of the “Black Leaders” we see today. There’s a discussion in “Democracy in Black” about the power of leaderless movements vs. “leaders” that actually made me reflect on Booker T. Washington when I read it.
The thing is, we now have the benefits of hindsight. Perhaps he simply did the best he felt he could and attempted to manipulate the system the best ways he knew how given the tools at his disposal. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt (although I’m White, so of course I would right?) Anyway, it would be nice if today’s leaders could learn from that hindsight and not repeat what we now view as his mistakes, regardless if they were intentional or not.
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Appreciate this presentation. Well-done, Abagond.
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Dr. Michael Eric Dyson! Brilliant man speaking on President Obama’s legacy and subtle truths about race and racism that so many people would like to pretend do not exist. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyVDLEP91vE&lc=z13uh52xol2hix3iy04cfbgrqzqsdbaoer40k.1486170236485439)
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@ Open Minded Observer
” I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt (although I’m White, so of course I would right?)”
Nope! You got it twisted. Relative to Black people whites USUALLY/ALWAYS give OTHER whites the benefit of the doubt. Giving the benefit of the doubt to Black people, not so much. (By NOT knowing or understanding this fact you seem to be “new,” or something.)
“Anyway, it would be nice if today’s leaders could learn from that hindsight..”
Who are these leaders of today you’re referring to??
Are they leaders of white people (i.e. Donald Trump/Hillary/Bernie) or Black people (i.e. Allen Shaw/Booker T Washington/Dr Ben Carson)??
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@ ASG-M
All Fan said was that they are both modern-day white leaders. That is true. Both Trump and Sanders fall within that category.
You’re overreacting.
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“I’m not going to stand for what you’re doing. No. No. No. NO!!!!!!”
.
Then have several seats. Yawn…….
“You’re overreacting.”
@ Solitaire
It’s easy to identify who the largest consumers of blue pills are by the frequency in which they overreact …. and under-react.
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Abs, what do you think about his theory of the “Talented Tenth?”
.
Hope you get better soon.
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“Bernie brings people together to enact positive change.”
@ Scrib
Oh really?? LOL
Soooo, is Bernie the senator a huge part of the reason why his home state (VERMONT) has seen a nearly 800 percent increase in opiate drug abuse since 2000?? Sheeesh!
I’d hate to see what his enacting a not so positive change looks like!
I understand he’s been a Vermont senator since 2007. Apparently he hasn’t been there long enough to get a handle on those WHITE people’s drug problems! Maybe in 10-15 more years, ya think??
Which makes perfect sense why he (and Hillary or Trump) was in the running to have been (s)elected to lead the USA into its final act.
The nation will always get the leadership it deserves.
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[…] Sourced through Scoop.it from: abagond.wordpress.com […]
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@Fan
“Nope! You got it twisted. Relative to Black people whites USUALLY/ALWAYS give OTHER whites the benefit of the doubt. Giving the benefit of the doubt to Black people, not so much.”
I wasn’t commenting relative to Black people, I was commenting relative to Black person, Booker T. Washington.
“Who are these leaders of today you’re referring to??”
Less a specific person as much as a persona. The comment was in reference to the discussion in the book I mentioned, but it could really be ascribed to any that appear more interested in self-aggrandizement and less interested in effecting meaningful & sustainable improvements.
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“I wasn’t commenting relative to Black people, I was commenting relative to Black person, Booker T. Washington.”
.
“I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt (although I’m White, so of course I would right?)”
.
“Less a specific person as much as a persona. The comment was in reference to the discussion in the book I mentioned, but it could really be ascribed to any that appear more interested in self-aggrandizement and less interested in effecting meaningful & sustainable improvements.”
@ Open Minded Observer
LOL Okay… whatever…
Do forgive me for not having the interest, time or energy required to appropriately respond to convoluted white-speak!
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@Fan
“Do forgive me for not having the interest, time or energy required to appropriately respond to convoluted white-speak!”
Not a problem. I’m used to being misunderstood. That’s on me. If you’re curious, I tried to explain myself better below:
Me:
“I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt (although I’m White, so of course I would right?)”
You:
“Nope! You got it twisted. Relative to Black people whites USUALLY/ALWAYS give OTHER whites the benefit of the doubt. Giving the benefit of the doubt to Black people, not so much.”
Giving Booker T. Washington the benefit of the doubt was something many White people did in his day and continue to do now. I’ve heard and read people argue that is because he did too much to benefit White people and not enough to benefit Black people. I totally understand White people don’t generally give Black people the benefit of the doubt.
You:
“Who are these leaders of today you’re referring to??”
I was deliberately vague, because anyone working toward improving race relations (and more specifically the end of White oppression) deserves my respect. Doesn’t matter if I think their motivations are selfish of selfless… I feel like too many people try to de-legitimize others that are doing good, because they think it’s not doing it good enough. So, yeah, I can be wishful that leaders can learn from the past to make an even bigger difference, but I’m not about to go calling anyone out just because they haven’t.
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” Doesn’t matter if I think their motivations are selfish of selfless… I feel like too many people try to de-legitimize others that are doing good ..”
.
Who said or asked anything about motivations?? Or calling anyone out?
You:
“Anyway, it would be nice if today’s leaders could learn from that hindsight..”
Me:
“Who are these leaders of today you’re referring to??”
Simple enough question.
Me:
“Are they leaders of white people (i.e. Donald Trump/Hillary/Bernie) or Black people (i.e. Allen Shaw/Booker T Washington/Dr Ben Carson)??”
You explain:
“I was deliberately vague, because anyone working toward improving race relations (and more specifically the end of White oppression) deserves my respect. ”
????
Again, I’m reminded why many (perhaps most) Black people refuse to engage white people in conversations or discussions unless it is absolutely necessary!
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@Fan
“Again, I’m reminded why many (perhaps most) Black people refuse to engage white people in conversations or discussions unless it is absolutely necessary!”
Hey, thanks for trying. I’ll stop clogging up the thread trying to explain my comments.
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@ Open Minded Observer
“Hey, thanks for trying. I’ll stop clogging up the thread trying to explain my comments.”
Same to you! Perhaps a sharper knife somewhere in the drawer can better cut up and parse the confusion. ;-D
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