Comments on: The Souls of Black Folk http://benschmidt.org/HIST1234/?p=97 HIST 1234 at Northeastern University, Fall 2014 Mon, 24 Nov 2014 04:26:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.18 By: joe.robinson93 http://benschmidt.org/HIST1234/?p=97#comment-5 Thu, 25 Sep 2014 02:43:18 +0000 http://benschmidt.org/HIST1234/?p=97#comment-5 I was also surprised to find that Du Bois and Washington differed so greatly in their proposed solutions to the troubles facing southern blacks despite being the two leading civil rights activists of the time. I think if they were united in their goals, the push for equality would have been that much stronger. However, Du Bois clearly believed Washington’s plan was a step in the wrong direction. By submitting to white rule, the social status of blacks would revert back to something resembling pre-Civil War America.

When Du Bois discusses the ‘Talented Tenth’ I don’t think he necessarily views the other 90% of the black population as being incapable of being educated. Rather, I think of the “tenth” that he refers to as being the leading class of African Americans. One of the major points that Du Bois stresses throughout “The Souls of Black Folk” is the need for a systematic schooling of the black population, with higher education being the first priority. He explains that by educating college students first, it will provide the rest of the community with a group of teachers/leaders than can train other blacks. This training includes making them more cultured and giving them a better work ethic.

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