Booker T. and W.E.B.

Gustavo Quintero
English 48B
February 14, 2008
Journal #24 Question #2(Midterm)


Quote:
"Speak soft, and try your little plan,
But as for me, i'll be a man"(Randall 1969).



Summary:
The above quote explains Du Bois' views on civil politics.


Response:
Who is the braver man? A good question to pose with and easy answer(in my opinion). Du Bois was the braver man. He was the braver man because he spoke out against racial equality. He did not accept his place in society. He challenged it. I love the last stanza in the poem that has Du Bois disagreeing with Booker T. This is exactly what he was about. Many kudos and praise to the man who had a voice and fought for equal rights. He did not want his race to feel inferior. He wanted equality. Little did he know that he was laying the brick work for generations of black leaders. I completely agree with Du Bois. He has the best approach towards making the races equal. If you are dormant and quiet, as Booker T. suggests, than everybody will step all over you. Why would you accept that you are an inferior race? This makes no sense to me. I really feel that Du Bois was on the right track of civil equality by speaking out against injustice. With all this said you have to take a look at why Du Bois felt this way. Unlike Booker T. he was not born into slavery rather he was educated and middle class. He had many more opportunities than Booker T. did. This is how he got his big voice. He was not afraid of controversy and backlash because it was not in his character. Two drastically different man with two drastically different points of view. It makes you wonder how different America would be if these two men were alive today preaching their points of view.