IndexIntroductionContextBooker T. Washington's Perspective on Race RelationsWashington's Attempt to Cast a Positive Light on SlaveryThe Problem of Passivity in Washington's ApproachConclusionWorks CitedIntroductionIn In the latter part of the 19th century, the United States underwent a profound transformation in its race relations, marked by the aftermath of the Civil War and the promise of Reconstruction. This period was characterized by great optimism, with newly emancipated African Americans gaining rights and opportunities previously denied. However, in the early 20th century, racial tensions increased, leading to a significant body of literature addressing the challenges faced by African Americans. One of the leading voices of this era was Booker T. Washington, whose essay “Up from Slavery” presented a unique perspective on race relations that celebrated positivity and advocated patience in the pursuit of justice. This essay explores how Washington's vision, while well-intentioned, inadvertently hindered the advancement of civil rights for African Americans during a critical period in American history. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayContextAfter the conclusion of the Civil War and the subsequent Reconstruction era, a variety of rights were extended to newly emancipated Southern slaves. The Freedmen's Bureau, for example, offered educational opportunities to African Americans, while the 14th and 15th Amendments guaranteed them equal citizenship and suffrage rights (Lemke-Santangelo). This immediate post-war period was undoubtedly a time of optimism and promise for the nearly four million individuals freed by the 13th (“American”) Amendment. However, in the early 20th century, tensions regarding the status of African Americans began to intensify. Repeated Supreme Court rulings have revealed an unwillingness on the part of those in power to recognize black citizens as fully equal. Southern states had already devised strategies such as poll taxes and the grandfather clause to subvert the 15th Amendment and disenfranchise black voters (Lemke-Santangelo). Thus, the early 20th century became a time of heated racial tensions, generating a notable body of literature in response to these challenges. During this time, many African Americans turned to literature to address the difficulties they faced. This literary production often expressed discontent with the pervasive inequality that African Americans faced in the aftermath of slavery and aimed to advocate for improved conditions and civil rights. Despite the adversity and inequalities he experienced, a former slave, Booker T. Washington, who was only a child when slavery ended (“Booker”), offered a perspective on race relations that stood out from the prevailing negativity of his contemporaries. In his work “Up from Slavery,” Washington chronicled his journey from the hardships of plantation life to eventual success, characterized by relentless work and determination. Despite the trials he endured, Washington's portrayal of his life and the racial issues of his time not only refrained from inciting immediate action, but also absolved white Southerners of culpability in the perpetuation of slavery. While Washington's remarkably optimistic outlook on slavery and equal rights is commendable for its hopeful tone, it ultimately hinders the pursuit of justice for theAfrican Americans. positive light on the institution of slavery. Although Washington does not openly support slavery, he suggests that there may have been some unintended benefits in the enslavement of African Americans. He argues that "the ten million Negroes who inhabit this country, who themselves or their ancestors have attended the school of American slavery, are in a stronger and more hopeful condition... than is true of a equal number of blacks in any other part of the globe" (Washington 1350). By making such a statement, Washington implies that there may have been, however minimal, a silver lining to the enslavement of African Americans, a prospect that would face vehement opposition in contemporary discourse. Furthermore, Washington describes a sense of connection with his former masters, even expressing grief over one of their deaths. Although he refrains from openly celebrating slavery, his portrayal is considerably more favorable than that of most former slaves. By portraying slavery in a less than uniformly negative light, Washington inadvertently diminishes the urgency of the need for justice for African Americans during that period. Washington's Attempt to Cast a Positive Light on Slavery Furthermore, Washington goes beyond simply presenting a less negative view of slavery; actively deflects guilt from white slave owners. Discussing his white father, a plantation owner who allegedly sexually assaulted his mother, Washington states: "I find no particular fault with him. He was simply another unfortunate victim of the institution which the Nation had unhappily grafted upon her at that time " (Washington 1345). This statement is striking not only because of Washington's status as a former slave, but also because it implies that white plantation owners bear no responsibility for their actions against other human beings. By using the term “victim,” Washington not only denies guilt, but paints Southern whites as victims themselves, a perspective that, while perhaps noble in his eyes, poses significant problems by absolving white individuals of their complicity in the perpetuation of slavery. Washington's argument, in doing so, complicates the pursuit of justice. It is essential to clarify that Washington supported the need to address the social injustice faced by African Americans. He explicitly expresses his disapproval of slavery as an institution and states that finding any African American who supports slavery would be nearly impossible. Washington insists, “I never saw anyone who would not be free, or anyone who would go back into slavery,” and further states that he pities any nation or group of people who get caught in the snare of slavery (Washington 1350). . Clearly, Washington has a decidedly negative view of slavery and consistently supports the upward mobility of African Americans through education. However, Washington's proposed approach to achieving equality is extremely passive, to the point of encouraging inaction; he encourages his fellow African-Americans to wait patiently for justice to arrive. The Problem of Passivity in Washington's Approach This passive approach reveals much about Washington's beliefs about society and human nature. Throughout his essay, Washington exudes a sense of positivity and gratitude towards those around him. For example, he often uses the term "privilege" to describe his experiences with General Armstrong, an individual associated with the Hampton Institute during Washington's time there. He also claims that Yankee teachers who played a rolein the education of African Americans immediately after the Civil War contributed significantly to the history of the nation (Washington 1359). Such statements underscore Washington's inherent inclination toward appreciation and gratitude for individuals, regardless of their race. His essay consistently portrays Washington as seeing other human beings, regardless of their racial background, through a decidedly positive lens. While the ability to see and believe the best in people is commendable in itself, it becomes problematic when applied to the issue of racial discrimination. oppression. Washington's deep positivity informs his belief in the inherent goodness of individuals and their innate ability to recognize the goodness in others. He not only holds that people "elevate themselves to the extent that they help to elevate others" (Washington 1362), but he firmly believes that those in positions of power, particularly white individuals, will eventually come to this realization without external pressure . Belief in the innate goodness of individuals is not inherently flawed, but when applied to the issue of racial injustice, it poses a substantial obstacle to the advancement of equality. Washington's belief in the innate goodness of people informs his passive approach to combating racism, as demonstrated in his speech at the Atlanta Expo, in which he essentially advised African Americans to wait patiently for justice to come to them. He states, “Say what we will, there is something in human nature which we cannot erase, which makes one man, in the end, recognize and reward the merit of another, regardless of color or race” (Washington 1371) . The statement conveys a convincing and persuasive message. However, by making this argument, Washington is inadvertently helping to slow the progress of people of his own race. His call for patience resonated especially with white audiences, while nonviolent African American activists also found his views deeply problematic. Dr. Martin Luther King, in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” articulates exactly the opposite position, stating that “when you are haunted day and night by the fact of being a Negro… afflicted with inward fears and outward resentments; we are always fighting against a degenerating sense of 'no one': then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait" (King 97). Although directed at white clergy, King's argument can be applied just as effectively to the Washington perspective. King argues, “This 'waiting' has almost always meant 'never'” (King 97). Consequently, by King's logic, Washington's advice to African Americans to wait for justice was essentially a request to ignore the immediate need for justice. Washington's pronounced passivity also faced strong criticism from African-American writer W. E. B. Du Bois, who, in "The Souls of Black Folk," accuses Booker T. Washington of contributing to the disenfranchisement and institutional inferiority of black individuals in the United States through its “old attitude of accommodation and submission” and its aspiration to serve as a “compromiser between the South, the North, and the negro” (Du Bois 1385). These accusations are far from unfounded; Washington's passive approach appealed primarily to white audiences and served to bridge the gap between justice-seeking African Americans and white citizens who were, at best, reluctant to grant civil rights to black individuals. His position as a former slave who had risen through the ranks of society inspired many others of his race to follow his.