African American Activism of the 1920s in the United States
Booker T. Washington
W.E.B Du Bois
born into slavery
taught himself to read
received vocational training (job-related training)
founded the Tuskegee Institute: a school that taught agriculture skills, mechanical skills, and teacher training
HIS BELIEFS AND ACTIVISM
Washington believed African Americans should focus on attaining vocational skills rather than advocating for immediate social equality with whites
Washington believed racism would be defeated by African Americans showing they were honest and skilled citizens. Because of this, he believed African Americans should peacefully submit to segregation and white rule in the South as long as they were not being denied public schooling and basic legal rights
This became known as the "Atlanta Compromise" when Washington described it in a famous speech he gave in Atlanta in 1895
born in New England
13 years younger than Washington
strongly opposed Washington's approaches
received a Ph.D at Harvard
professor of History at University of Atlanta
joined with white progressives to launch the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
HIS BELIEFS AND ACTIVISM
Du Bois felt that African Americans must actively fight for social equality & should not settle, even temporarily, for anything less than full equality with whites
He believed that the most intelligent blacks--whom he referred to as the "Talented Tenth" should receive an education to demonstrate their ability and lead the civil rights movement
Du Bois launched the "Niagra Movement" to counter Washington's "Atlanta Compromise"
Marcus Garvey
Most popular African American leader of the early 1920s
immigrant from Jamaica
established the Universal Negro Improvement Association
established his own shipping line, "Black Star Line"
HIS BELIEFS AND ACTIVISM
believed "black is beautiful" and that all people of African heritage should be proud of their race
Garvey opposed cooperation white whites in organizations such as the NAACP
encouraged blacks to form their own businesses & to act independently from the white community