October 20, 2014

Complete discussion on booker t and move on to bois on theme of strategies of black empowerment

Explain why booker t’s washington’s Atlanta expedition address could be seen as a Faustian bargain?

- Deal: black quiet politically in exchange of docility in politics – no demands for social equality – blacks given opportunity to advance economically

Booker T’s Faustian Bargain

- Faustian Metaphor- Deal at Atlanta – exchange for docility in Politics – no demands for social equality – economic

opportunity

Booker T’s Calculus – question answer was based on this

- “If a Black man spends ten thousand a year in freight charges he can select his own seat on a rail-road train.”

o Argument that through acquiring economic strength and economic independence, African Americans can fight segregation

o Repeatedly stress – direct reversal of what douglass argue for: political empowerment was essential to black empowerment

o While washingont – one can put aside temporarily of political equality and concentrate on economic empowerment

- Quote from article Atlanta compromise address: no race that has anything to contribute to the markets of the world is long, in any degree…

Booker T’s Strategy- co elements of strategy (did not have enough time for slide

Booker t Washington…

William Monroe Trotter (1872-1934)

- Called Washington the “Benedict Arnold of the Black Race”o Correct? Disagree or Agree?o Teacher’s opinion:

Which historical reference point of his statement: 2 ways:

Look from 1895 when trotter wrote this statement Or from vantage point of 2014 and looking back on history Issue of time here is rather important

Historian trying to emphasize – when making moral judgements, consider specific context and moment and don’t impose values from another time in that moment

Ex: in 1880s, if someone walk by someone ill, you don’t criticize that person – not good person because you can’t dial 911 since you there was no technology – can’t judge tech from today to past

From 1895 – trotter’s steamemt was somewhat courageous because Washington was very important individual

Washington had dinner with presidents, friends with great industrialist of the time

And many black leaders was afraid of alienating Washington since known to have enemy list – odn’t want to be on it if Washington didn’t’ like you

From that point of view, trotter is courageous because if blacks didn’t get involved in politics, they wouldn’t have made advance

Going against dominant thinking of the moment – washingtons – took courage of trotter and pay the price by saying this statement

Washington was not pleased when called Arnold tried to get trotter’s newspaper to close down

So have to admire the courage of trotter in taking the orthodoxy of the moment

Whenever you question the majority, you pay the price Change only happens when you questions dominant idea

o Ex: Rosa parks – arrested to change law – has criminal record View of looking back on historical hindsight from 2014 and look back in 1895

Can’t call him traitor May question policy but did not detriment the black race Arnold was intention to betray Historians – behind the scene maneuvering Washington did trotter

would not have known at the time- It occurs to none that silence is tantamount to being virtually an accomplice in the treasonable

act of this Benedict Arnold of the Negro Race (William M. Trotter, p.191)

Behaving in a Machiavellian way means..written before Italy become a nation – was group of states; in this piece of advice (to the king of Florence?), Machiavelli argues that morality don’t play in politics for faint hearted and weak; advice of how to gain power and then keep power; justify the means – do something immoral if you have justification in the end; you throw out morality

1. Ends justify the means2. Morality has no role in politics

Washington called Machiavelli of the south

- Because historians looking at his work have found that while in public he was talking about no poilical agitation, finger social economic integration, all politic quiet strategies

- Behind the scenes – taking some of the money he used from raising money to ?speaking? supported some behing the scene civil right maneuver

- 1898 – behind the scenes raise legal fees – Louisiana’s Grandfather Clause- On one hand in public – altanta – we be quiet politically, no agitation- But 3 years down the road – take money from people of tuskey institute? And put toward the

lousisian clause

Same role in Alabama Covert role in Alabama

- Won in Maryland - Railroad discrimination cases had in invisible backing- – railroad discrimination cases had in invisible backing (even to Maryland)

o Many cases against discrimination had washington’s invisible backing- While in public he was arguing that he was not going to challenge political status quo, accept it

hwile in private he was doin something else- Why he called this way- Why trotter would not have known this- AACP – may have supported this - - but no concrete evidence of documentation

Booker T’s Strategy – 6

- First four is atlant:- Vocational education- Economic integration and social separation- Accommodationism- Gradualism- Pragmatism – economic growth and economic empowerment- Over and above that…important to understand and appreciate the following- Machiavellian element/dimension to his strategies

o Do something in public and also try challenge segregation in covert manner

Legacy (Washington’s)

- Institutionso Necessity of making theseo In any strategy of empowerment, you have to build these are importanto Washington exemplify that – institutions that last beyond yourself

- Working within constraintso How work with constraints?

o May not like the circumstance you are confronting but how deal and change simultaneously – so build institutions with constraints

Bois said let’s get rid of it tried like with voting rights but he frustrated and left America and denounce citizenship

Learn from Washington to take consideration of constraints and work with them- Relevance of economic power

o Importance of economic powero Not everything but importanto Washington places emphasis on this

- Machiavellian elemento That how do you work within constaint but realize that these need to erode – do aboce

surface (overt strategies) and covert things you need to do to advance course of empowerment

- There are flaws fo these strategies but historical hindsight – unfair to call him Arnold- While at that moment, these are 4 important lessons for black empowerment- Quick overview of strategies and ideas of booker t. Washington

Now go on to other great icon whose life paralled with Washington: W.E.B. Du Bois

- One of the most well known figure of…political and culture of ?20th century?

In 1900s, du bois was most well known African American within black community and outside black community

Today, most well known is beyonce (more than obama) – main point – the most well known is not intellectual figure

Most famous African American intellectual figure today? Cornell west

Times has shifted

1900s hands down was du bois but now turned because of popular culture

Any case, bois was a towering figure in black politic, intellecutl, cultural life of early 1900s (and early 1800s)

Bois lives a long time – feb 1668 – aug 1963 (so nearly 100 years- so 90 plus years 95 years)

Was productive from age 17 to age 95; wrote the evening before he died the encyclopedia of African

Born 3 years after civil war, live through reconstruction era, period of mass industrialization, world war 1 and 2, national liberation movements around world (rid of colonial rule), made relationships with other countries – india, china, Africa, by 1950s – become radical and disillusioned and think America not making progress when America was based on what he made was ahead of his time 1903 – what

happens was 1960 (?) we need global solidarity to address society’s problems – not just by states…beyond borders (like ebola crisis – not contain – require global response – wht bois was talking about – need global response to attack racism and bigotry – not perspective of nations stat and borders of the us) but when he started talking about 1950s – was too radical for civil rights movement – they were demonstrating patriotism – bois had enough of that since he showed in world war I

Difference of him and political moment – leaves America therefore and become citizen of Ghana and no longer citizen of American

Lives long and engaged life

Wrote 3 autobiographies – he like second one – dusk of dawn

Du Bois – divide 4 components of his legacy

- Harlem renaissance intellectual/culturalo Langston hughso The most artistic movment ?for African americans?o We don’t want to represented by others, we want to do it ourselveso Bois was very much involved

- Civil rights movementso Architect of civil rights movements

- Worker/socialist movementso 1930s and 1940s – he was interested in political movments for socialism as consequence

of Russia socialism?? In 1917- International movements

o Later he was interested in this 1950s and 1960so Some very controversial o Close relationship with mao – invited and treated as heroo And also with first president with Ghana – invited and treated well

Why he was able to get citizenship- Connect/highlight importance for black political empowerment according to him

The life and legacy of W.E.B. Du bois – quick summary of life and legacy

- Race and modernityo Bois writings and cultural work and political activism are indispensible stuff for race and

modern worldo Race play important problematic role in modern world 1960s onward – come across

bois’ ideas

- First individual to do systematic study of African-american experienceo In many ways, he was one of the intellectual followers of black studyo Key intellectual figure – 1960s – black study movement and institutionalization o Where he pioneers that there is a need for this

- Slave tradeo Doctoral dissertation was on thiso Still regarded as most important work in study of America of this subject – important

grad studento Do phd degree, lucky if people read dissertation before put in libraryo Frist African American student in Harvard to get degreeo history

- Philadelphia negroo His booko Book that launches urban ? studies on..sociology of urban life

- Black reconstructiono Book on reconstruction erao Regarded as definitive of infor for reconstruction era o Is foundation of where other works were build

- Here describes just intellectual life- Bois become indispensible to understanding black experience in America

Political Movemnts

- Anti-lynching campaign – where starts to disagree with washingtono Says lynching and increase of this – why use of money when there’s no law to protect

you from this and ensure the preprator is locked upo Initially he didn’t want to become along with trotter debateo Newspaper article commendable – Washington had money and wanted to be on good

sideo When he saw violence, he went on trotter’s side – escalating violence with giving up

political is not good!o Idea does not come to fruition till 1950s – legislation for protect black from violence

south- Desegregation struggles

o Don’t want to accept status quo for whatever reasono 1909 – NAACP formed

Half century struggle of brown vs education to end…- Modern civil rights movement – 1950s and 1960s

o Starts of with boiso He is intellectual founder and political architect of this movement

- Anti-colonial movements

o Wanted to integrate global – never separateo Deeply involved in these movementso Some best friends against british colonialo 1911 – call colonial world for conference in London – unity for impacted by british and

French colonilsm –get close with president of Ghana- Pan-africanism

o Wherever you are, still form political networko Struggle and join forces across borders

Intellectual and political arena important

David Levering Lewis

- Wrote 2 volume Pulitzer prize autobiography on du bois- History department in Rutgers- After wining prize, many universities tried to recruit and seduce Rutgers tried to keep him

with 6 figure salary vs nyu with free apt

Arnold rampersad

- Literal aspects of bois- art and imagination- Part of Rutgers but standford seduced him –just retired-