Focus Question: Who was a stronger advocate for African-Americans, Booker T. Washington or W.E.B. DuBois? Do Now: Read and annotate “Plessy v. Ferguson” (handout) for gist and history talk.

African-American Rights in the 1800s Slavery began in 1619 and ended with the 13th Amendment in 1865. The 14th Amendment in 1868 was supposed to guarantee equal rights for all citizens, no matter what race. The 15th Amendment said all men could vote, no matter what race.

African-American Rights in the 1800s But Southern states created Jim Crow laws and segregation in order to deny African-Americans their legal rights. With the use of terrorist tactics, white citizens in the KKK and other groups also tried to prevent African-Americans from exercising their rights. The Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court case made segregation legal, as long as it was “separate but equal.”

How did segregation violate the Fourteenth Amendment? Homer Plessy

Segregated water fountains, North Carolina, 1950 Segregated water fountains, North Carolina, 1950. Photograph by Elliot Erwitt.

Segregated movie theater in Leland, Mississippi, 1939 Segregated movie theater in Leland, Mississippi, 1939. Photographer unknown.

A segregated restaurant in Durham, North Carolina, 1940 A segregated restaurant in Durham, North Carolina, 1940. Photograph by Jack Delano.

A bus station in Durham, North Carolina, 1940 A bus station in Durham, North Carolina, 1940. Photograph by Jack Delano.

Segregated trolley, Atlanta, Georgia, 1956. Photographer unknown.

Man entering movie theater through the “colored” entrance, Belzoni, Mississippi, 1939. Photograph by Marion Post Wolcott.

Booker T. Washington Born into slavery in Alabama in 1856 Founded the Tuskegee Institute – a school to train African Americans in agricultural skills Was a proponent of vocational education – training for a particular trade or job Believed that equality would come come through economic advancement, not political agitation Booker T. Washington

W.E.B. DuBois Born a free man in Massachusetts in 1868 The first African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University Rejected Washington’s focus on vocational education – argued that a liberal arts education was the most effective path to integration. Believed that political and social equality had to be fought for before economic gains could be made

Booker T. Washington W.E.B. DuBois Born into slavery in Alabama in 1856 Founded the Tuskegee Institute – a school to train African Americans in agricultural skills Was a proponent of vocational education – training for a particular trade or job Believed that equality would come come through economic advancement, not political agitation W.E.B. DuBois Born a free man in Massachusetts in 1868 The first African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University Rejected Washington’s focus on vocational education – argued that a liberal arts education was the most effective path to integration. Believed that political and social equality had to be fought for before economic gains could be made

Exit Ticket / Homework Based on these documents, who do you think was a stronger advocate for the rights of African-Americans: Booker T. Washington or W.E.B. Dubois? In addition to evidence from the documents, use as many vocabulary terms from this lesson as possible in your response.