Washington VS DuBois

After reading about what both Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Dubois had to say concerning the best possible future for black people, I have to say that their positions seem to differ dramatically. Booker T seems to be suggesting that the only way for blacks to rise up in society is to be trained as skilled workers via trade school while Dubois is encouraging blacks to make a better, more financially stable life by attending universities and aspiring to have careers not just jobs.
Washington’s views also propose a union of the two races-black and white. Based on what I read, I would say that he believes that in order for blacks to succeed, they must rely on whites. He is basically advocating for their inferiority by promoting such a theory. It seems as though he is saying that there is no other way for blacks to emerge from poverty than to ride on the backs of whites for support. He also supports blacks giving up certain liberties in order to be at peace with the whites and assimilation at any cost. In suggesting that blacks start at the bottom, it may imply that they need not strive to reach the top.
Dubois, on the other hand is saying the exact opposite. He respects the legacy of Booker T. Washington and respects the man but is not fond of his ideals. They appear to be quite barbaric to Dubois. They also seem to contradict other previous statements made by Washington. Dubois is saying that blacks need to move forward. They need to create their own lives with no dependency what so ever on the white man for help. He believes that in order to do this, blacks mustn’t give up their political rights or the civil liberties. His opinion sponsors universities as the best place for blacks to go if they ever wish to truly be free, independent citizens.
Although these men had completely different views on how blacks should live their lives, their purposes are the same. They both seem dedicated to wanting to help their people become better. Perhaps Washington’s stance reflects his time spent as a slave and maybe Dubois is a man of the future. Either way, they used their literary works to help bring up reform in the black communities.