Introduction
The process of African American liberation was continuous and complex, requiring ample social changes and the presence of incredible courage and strong will in the movement participants.
Discussion
However massive as it might have been, the Civil Rights Movement was far from homogenous, with a significant portion of the debate revolving around whether African American people should continue the integration into American society, demanding the recognition of their role in the state economy, or focus on receiving crucial civil rights (Christensen, 2007). Although Washington supported the former, and Du Bois the latter, the rift between the two did not interfere with the process of African American liberation while leaving the basis for the further rift within the movement represented by the misalignment in the perspectives of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X.
Though judging the actions of either of the two men appears to be particularly complicated due to the presence of multiple factors affecting the movement, Du Bois’ idea of gaining basic civil rights first seems to be more legitimate. In hindsight, the focus on the civil rights aspect was inevitable since it was linked to the opportunity to gain independence from the White community, which Washington’s plan, in essence, represented. Moreover, from the social perspective, gaining the recognition of their rights both on legal and social levels implied a massive shift toward social justice that was required to improve the lives of African American people (Washington, 1895).
Conclusion
Namely, while Washington seemed to underestimate the power of social injustice, Du Bois recognized the weight of social contempt and rightfully sought to address it first (Christensen, 2007; Washington, 1895). For this reason, Du Bois’ perspective appears to be stronger than that of Washington.
References
Christensen, S. (2007). Niagara movement (1905-1909).BlackPast. Web.
Washington, B. T. (1895). Atlanta compromise.EmersonKent. Web.