Garvey vs. Du Bois - 1980 Words

The Common Difference’s of Elitism Vs. Nationalism The often fierce ideological exchanges between Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. Du Bois are interesting, not as much because of the eloquence of their expression, as because of the fact that although outwardly contradictory, these ideologies were often unified at their foundation. This unity was not simply in terms of the broad and obvious intent to better the conditions of â€Å"black folk†, it was in terms of the very details that defined the trajectory and means of the advancement of blacks in America and all over the world. It is clear that the seeming ideological disunity between the Garvey and Du Bois perspectives only masked the commonalities that underpinned each of their approaches to†¦show more content†¦He authored Black Folk Then and Now, to shed light on the often untold history of Africans and the transatlantic slave trade and, in fact, died and was buried in Ghana where he was living by the personal invitation of Kwame Nkrumah. Equally impassioned by the cause for black rights in the international arena, Garvey’s work toward this end was reflected in the name and practice of his â€Å"Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities (Imperial) League†. Like Du Bois, Garvey spoke fervently on behalf of the interests of blacks both in the United States and internationally. It was the express mission of this organization to bring together the people of what Garvey called â€Å"the African race†. He too participated in the Pan-African Congresses a nd a cornerstone of his movement was â€Å"pride in the race’s African heritage.† This concept of the interconnectedness of blacks across the globe, with African heritage as their anchor, was a unifying aspect of Du Bois’ and Garvey’ ideologies. Here again, however, this fundamentally similar belief was overshadowed by more superficial ideological differences. Although loyal to Africa, Du Bois saw himself and blacks born in the United States as Americans, a contrast to Garvey who rejected this concept, defining his identity and allegiance first and foremost in terms of his blackness. Du Bois, on the one hand, regarded himself and blacks born in the UnitedShow MoreRelatedAssess the Significance of the Role of Individuals in Reducing Racial Discrimination in the Usa Throughout the Period 1877-1981.1995 Words   |  8 Pagesdiscrimination in the USA. Although without events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, WWII or the actions of the NACCP to change atti tudes towards African Americans, these individuals would have had little effect. The likes of Booker T Washington and Du Bois set the foundation for civil rights along with the Second World War; however other individuals such as Martin Luther King help to actively progress the movement. Along with this the government and various presidents more so in the latter of the periodRead MoreEssay about The Harlem Renaissance1582 Words   |  7 Pageswar African Americans had more opportunity and freedom since the men were soldiers of the civil war. Most African Americans had the plan to leave the south and move to up north because of the racism still lingering in the south, for example the Plessy vs. Ferguson Supreme Court case. This case was about a light-skin colored man sitting in the â€Å"white† car of a train. Although he was light-skin he was still considered black and got arrested for sitting in that section of the train. This was an opportunityRead MoreSuffrage of African A mericans in Red Summer written by Cameron McWhirter1113 Words   |  4 PagesGuinn vs. United States, which confronted the grandfather clause and white exemption. They also lead a lawsuit called Buchanan vs. Warley in 1917, â€Å"which found municipal racial segregation laws unconstitutional.† The NAACP also expanded and raised money for anti-lynching efforts and â€Å"successfully petitioned the city school system to allow blacks to teach in black schools for the first time.† The leaders of this organization played a role in fighting for blacks. A man named Marcus Garvey â€Å"establishedRead MoreAfrican Americans Of The Modern World And The Discovery Of North America Essay2069 Words   |  9 Pagesdemanded reform but only for the Caucasian race. Blacks endured harsh working conditions, received a poor salary, and were still discriminated. This led to activists to demand equality for those enduring harsh conditions in the workforce. W. E. B. Du Bois for example, in the Niagara Movement’s Declaration of Principles, encouraged African Americans to keep pursuing equality and defined what problems needed to be stopped (Shi, For the Record: A Documentary History of America, 121). In regards to employers