The Atlanta Cotton Exposition
Write a short paper of no more than two pages (typed, double spaced, 12 pt. fontone inch margins). This paper should address the following issue:
Use documents 110 Booker T. Washington, Address at the Atlanta Cotton Exposition and 111. W.E.B. Du Bois, A Critique of Booker T. Washington to answer this question: How does the debate between Washington and Du Bois highlight the issues facing African Americans during the implementation of Jim Crow Laws? In your answer be sure to address: 1. Washington’s position on Civil Rights. 2. Du Bois’ position on Civil Rights 3. General issues facing African Americans in the period .
Your paper will be graded on substance primarily but also basic writing ability and style. The most important factor in determining the grade will be the depth of analysis of the primary source (not the editor’s introduction, text or lecture) in support of a thesis that makes an argument. You will use the text and lecture in your paper, but only as tools to better analyze the primary sources. Be sure to include a short introduction culminating in a clearly worded thesis statement and body paragraphs that deal with the issue above. You do not need (and should not write) a summary conclusion for this length of paper. Please turn in a hard copy in classlate papers are accepted with a penalty of 5 pts. Per day. No emailed papers accepted.
Sample Solution
This debate highlights how difficult it was for African Americans living under Jim Crow laws because they had limited options available to them in their struggle against oppression due to discriminatory practices such as segregation and disenfranchisement which took away their basic liberties and undermined their potential social mobility by preventing access to resources like education or employment opportunities considered “too good” for them. Additionally, violence against blacks was rampant throughout this period so advocating for more aggressive tactics such as protesting or marching carried great risks especially when these acts were met with violent repression from law enforcement agents who were given free rein thanks to laws enacted that stood firmly behind maintaining white supremacy through any means necessary.
Ultimately, this debate demonstrated the conflicts within black communities since Washington’s method sought patience while Du Bois called forth action; both strategies needed consideration if meaningful change was going to be made possible during one of the darkest times in American history when Jim Crow Laws created an environment where racism reigned supreme over reason and justice remained out-of-reach no matter how hard African Americans tried to achieve it peacefully or forcefully alike.
