Two Sides of the Same Coin— Booker T. Washington vs. W.E.B. DuBois on Education

In the years following Reconstruction, two different viewpoints emerged regarding the education of African-Americans. The first, represented by Booker T. Washington, was that African-Americans needed to gain commercially viable skills and focus on being tradesmen and craftsmen. The second, represented by W.E.B. DuBois, was that African-Americans needed to focus on giving the most talented in their communities a classic liberal arts education, so that these most talented could improve life for AfricanAmericans as a whole. This lesson plan explores these differences, and will give students a sense of how these differences shaped education for AfricanAmericans.

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Standards & Objectives

Academic standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 11-12 reading and content, choosing flexibly...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.6: Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text,...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.8: Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text,...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.10: By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 11-CCR text complexity band...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.2: Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.6: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grades 11-12...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective...
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience....
CLE 3003.1.2: Employ a variety of strategies and resources to determine the definition, pronunciation, etymology, spelling, and usage of words and phrases.
CLE 3003.2.6: Deliver effective oral presentations.
CLE 3003.2.7: Participate in work teams and group discussions.
CLE 3003.3.1: Write in a variety of modes, with particular emphasis on persuasion, for different purposes and audiences.
CLE 3003.3.3: Organize ideas into an essay with a thesis statement in the introduction, well-constructed paragraphs, a conclusion, and transition sentences that connect...
CLE 3003.5.1: Use logic to make inferences and draw conclusions in a variety of complex oral and written contexts.
CLE 3003.5.2: Analyze text for fact and opinion, cause/effect, inferences, evidence, and conclusions.
CLE 3003.6.1: Comprehend and summarize the main ideas of complex informational texts and determine the essential elements that elaborate them.
CLE 3003.6.3: Read, interpret, and analyze graphics that support complex informational and technical texts.
CLE 3003.8.5: Know and use appropriate literary terms to derive meaning and comprehension from various literary genres.
CLE 3005.1.2: Employ a variety of strategies and resources to determine the definition, pronunciation, etymology, spelling, and usage of words and phrases.
CLE 3005.2.6: Deliver effective oral presentations.
CLE 3005.2.7: Participate in work teams and group discussions.
CLE 3005.3.3: Organize ideas into an essay with a thesis statement in the introduction, well-constructed paragraphs, a conclusion, and transition sentences that connect...
CLE 3005.5.1: Use logic to make inferences and draw conclusions in a variety of complex oral and written contexts.
CLE 3005.5.2: Analyze text for fact and opinion, cause/effect, inferences, evidence, and conclusions.
CLE 3005.5.4: Analyze the logical features of an argument.
CLE 3005.6.1: Comprehend and summarize the main ideas of complex informational texts and determine the essential elements that elaborate them.
CLE 3005.6.3: Read, interpret, and analyze graphics that support complex informational and technical texts.
CLE 3005.8.5: Know and use appropriate literary terms to derive meaning and comprehension from various literary genres.
SPI 3002.1.9: Recognize a shift in either verb tense or point of view within a writing sample.
SPI 3003.1.11: Correctly choose verb forms in terms of tense, voice (i.e., active and passive), and mood for continuity.
SPI 3003.1.5: Use previously learned techniques such as recognizing cognates, root words, affixes, foreign phrases, and textual context to identify unfamiliar words, including...
SPI 3003.2.5: Identify the rhetorical devices used in a complex speech (i.e., rhetorical questions, parallelism and repetition, analogies, hyperbole, metaphors, simile,...
SPI 3003.3.13: Identify the targeted audience for a selected passage.
SPI 3003.3.8: Choose the transitional device that appropriately connects sentences or paragraphs within a writing sample.
SPI 3003.4.3: Evaluate the reliability and credibility of sources for use in research.
SPI 3003.5.1: Make inferences and draw conclusions based on evidence in text.
SPI 3003.5.11: Identify the main claim, premise(s), evidence, or conclusion of a given argument.
SPI 3003.5.8: Determine whether a given argument employs deductive or inductive reasoning. (NOTE: NO Check for Understanding)
TSS.ELA.11-12.L.VAU.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on 11th -12th grade-level text by choosing flexibly from a...
TSS.ELA.11-12.L.VAU.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings in grades 11-12 reading and content; interpret...
TSS.ELA.11-12.L.VAU.6: Acquire and accurately use general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the...
TSS.ELA.11-12.RI.CS.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an author...
TSS.ELA.11-12.RI.KID.1: Analyze what a text says explicitly and draw inferences; support an interpretation of a text by citing and synthesizing relevant textual evidence from...
TSS.ELA.11-12.RL.CS.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific...
TSS.ELA.11-12.RL.KID.1: Analyze what a text says explicitly and draw inferences; support an interpretation of a text by citing and synthesizing relevant textual evidence from...
TSS.ELA.11-12.SL.CC.1: Initiate and participate effectively with varied partners in a range of collaborative discussions on appropriate 11th - 12th grade topics, texts, and...
TSS.ELA.11-12.SL.CC.2: Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media formats in order to make informed decisions and solve problems; evaluate the...
TSS.ELA.11-12.SL.PKI.4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective so that listeners can follow the line of reasoning;...
TSS.ELA.11-12.SL.PKI.6: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
TSS.ELA.11-12.W.PDW.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
TSS.ELA.11-12.W.TTP.1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning supported by relevant and sufficient evidence.
TSS.ELA.11-12.W.TTP.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to analyze, synthesize, and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the...
TSS.ELA.K.RL.KID.3: With prompting and support, orally identify characters, setting, and major events in a story.
US.11: Using textual evidence, compare and contrast the ideas and philosophies of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Dubois.

Alignment of this item to academic standards is based on recommendations from content creators, resource curators, and visitors to this website. It is the responsibility of each educator to verify that the materials are appropriate for your content area, aligned to current academic standards, and will be beneficial to your specific students.

Learning objectives:

Students will identify, describe, and explain the goals and impacts of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois with regards to post Reconstruction African-American education;
Students will annotate, analyze, and compare andcontrast excerpts from Washington’s “Atlanta Exposition” speech and DuBois’ “Talented Tenth” essay;
Students will create commentary on both excerpts as if covering them live.

Essential and guiding questions:

How did the competing educational philosophies of DuBois and Washington address the needs of AfricanAmericans during the Jim Crow period?

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level:

Applying

Extension suggestions:

Have students compare and contrast the merits of liberal arts education versus the merits of vocational education. This can be done through variety of activities, such as creative activities (speeches, art, campaigns, etc.) and writings (research papers, journal entries, short essays, etc.), and can add a modern twist on this lesson.
Have students engage in the same activity as the lesson plan (annotate & analyze, Twitter activity) with excerpts from W.E.B. DuBois’s The Souls of Black Folk.

Helpful Hints

Materials:

PowerPoint: Washington v. DuBois
Atlanta Exposition excerpt worksheet
The Talented Tenth excerpt worksheet
Analysis Questions
Twitter worksheet
Compare/Contrast worksheet