The Road to Equality

Examine and Summarize

The Authors Booker T. WashingtonW.E.B. DuBois

Primary source

Others in the Field John Brown’s speech at his trial. This court acknowledges, as I suppose, the validity of the law of God. I see a book kissed here which I suppose to be the Bible, or at least the New Testament. That teaches me that all things whatsoever I would that men should do to me, I should do even so to them. It teaches me, further, to "remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them." I endeavored to act up to that instruction. I say I am yet too young to understand that God is any respecter of persons. I believe that to have interfered as I have done--as I have always freely admitted I have done--in behalf of His despised poor was not wrong, but right. Now, if it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments--I submit; so let it be done!

Martin Luther King Jr. It is true that the police have exercised a degree of discipline in handling the demonstrators. In this sense they have conducted themselves rather "nonviolently" in public. But for what purpose? To preserve the evil system of segregation. Over the past few years I have consistently preached that nonviolence demands that the means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek. I have tried to make clear that it is wrong to use immoral means to attain moral ends. But now I must affirm that it is just as wrong, or perhaps even more so, to use moral means to preserve immoral ends. Let us march on ballot boxes, (Let’s march) march on ballot boxes until race-baiters disappear from the political arena. Let us march on ballot boxes until the salient misdeeds of bloodthirsty mobs (Yes, sir) will be transformed into the calculated good deeds of orderly citizens. (Speak, Doctor) Let us march on ballot boxes (Let us march) until the Wallaces of our nation tremble away in silence. Let us march on ballot boxes (Let us march) until we send to our city councils (Yes, sir), state legislatures, (Yes, sir) and the United States Congress, (Yes, sir) men who will not fear to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God. Let us march on ballot boxes (Let us march. March) until brotherhood becomes more than a meaningless word in an opening prayer, but the order of the day on every legislative agenda. Let us march on ballot boxes (Yes) until all over Alabama God’s children will be able to walk the earth in decency and honor.

Activity Research the assigned person/group and using the primary sources from Washington and DuBois decide who’s belief they would follow and explain why.

Critical Thinking 1 Why does Booker T. Washington take the position of “patience” in his move for Civil Rights? Is this the correct position for Washington to take considering the time period in which he lived? What other Civil Rights leaders follow Washington’s “level of patience”? Are they successful?

Critical Thinking 2 Why does W.E.B. DuBois take the opposite position of Washington with an “act now” move for Civil Rights? Is this the correct position for DuBois to take considering the time period in which he lived? What other Civil Rights leaders follow DuBois’s “act now”? Are they successful? President and Mrs. Roosevelt were both pioneers of Civil Rights, to whose philosophy does each ascribe? How does each execute this belief? Would you agree that President Jimmy Carter ascribed to one of these leaders philosophy? If so, which one? How does President Carter execute this belief?