Lit Response 2

W.E.B. Dubois’s argument in Chapter three of The Souls Of Black Folks revolves around the central idea that Blacks are easily persuaded to alter their political and moral views due to the substantial rise of one of their own without knowing the facts behind their political leader’s upbringings. His central image of African-American power comes from the example of Booker T. Washington, the main figure of dominance among Black culture that has risen from poverty to complete economic and education supremacy. Dubois states that, although many African-Americans admire and idolize Washington, they disagree with his morality and ideas of uplifting and bringing progress amongst the African-American race. Among his own people, however, Mr. Washington has encountered the strongest and most lasting opposition(Page 48) Dubois demonstrates that this dislike comes from pure envy and jealousy of seeing a Black man succeed while many of his own people are still working for any scrap and/or penny they can get their hands on. Dubois, also, demonstrates that most of the dislike comes from bright, intelligent, and highly respected Black leaders that have a feeling of deep regret, sorrow, and apprehension. These feelings of mixed emotions come from the ideology of Washington's plan that ultimately keep colored people as slaves, working in the field to get by and make a decent living.

The typical African-American would disagree with Washington's plan if he did not have majority of coloreds and white Americans in favor of his program and logic. Largely silenced in outward expres- sion by the public opinion of the nation. (Chapter 3, paragraph 6) is shown to suggest that the outward expression of dislike for Booker T. Washington's program was frowned upon amongst the nation and especially towards Black people. Typical mindset would be that they should be grateful for a Black man to be in such power in such a day in age and should bow their heads and nod gracefully with acceptance. The plan, however, much didn't thoroughly know about in full detail. It silenced if it did not convert the Negroes themselves (Chapter 3, paragraph 2) tells that the Negroes only went along with the plan because of majority vote and/or they did not fully comprehend what Washington was asking. If the average Black man knew his opposing side- the supremacist- were in favor of a Black man, than he would become pressured to follow by example and support his own. If an average Black man did not know what Washington was asking of his people due to the fluid and articulate language from his profound education, then he would most likely follow in the footsteps of Washington's followers and support him based on the single evidence that he was African-American.