IB US History
Focus:
Gilded Age
CW:
notes: The Socialist Challenge
reading: Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire and Imperial Foods Fire
photos of Triangle Fire
discussion: are unions still relevant?
10 Commandments for Workers
union simulation
HW:
Text pp. 516-21; 523-25
posted by Mr. Carlisle at 7:20 AM
8 Comments:
If the employers did not sign the contract does that mean the contract would not be valid?
9:51 PM
This is kinda nerdy but I actually read Booker T Washington's Atlanta Compromise speech and the chapter about Washington in Du Bois's essay "Souls of Black Folks" after doing the textbook reading. They are both very interesting to read, but Du Bois spelled some things weirdly which was irritating. I am looking forward to our graded discussion about these two men this coming week.
8:46 PM
Kayla,
You just made my entire month. So I have to ask, which person's philosophy do agree with? Washington or Du Bois? Any thoughts on Washington's Atlanta Compromise speech and what it meant for African Americans' quest for racial equality?
9:38 PM
Its hard to decide. I prefer Washington's idea of easing into racial equality rather than militantly demanding it; but Du Bois brings up a good point when he says that training the blacks in industrial education may suggest that they are better suited for service occupation and hold them in an infinite lower class. But I also think that by demanding their rights and equality, although they were entitled, blacks would only aggravate the southerners more causing more violence than what was already going on. Also, demanding their rights and equality would not end the whites racism toward the blacks, so the violence would continue regardless and with the tension between the two races they would never been seen as truly equal by the whites.
As for his speech, I did not like it the first time I read it. I felt that he wanted the African Americans to end their quest for racial equality and be content where they were. Once I read it again, I realized that his purpose was to prompt the two races to form peaceful relationships and make them realize that they relied on each other and that because of that, they needed to trust one another and treat each other with respect. They would still be working towards their goal. Although this would slow the race for legal racial equality, it would lead to a sort of moral racial equality. They would eventually get to their underline goal of total equality. Slow and steady wins the race.
Sadly, his philosophy might only work in theory.
10:01 AM
Kayla,
Some of the points you raised will be debated this coming Thursday during our graded discussion.
Do you think Washington's Atlanta Compromise was merely a cop out in regards to white-black race relations? He was in essence advising African Americans to take on a subservient economic/social/political role to whites.
According to Washington, African Americans would gain the respect of whites when AAs had good paying jobs.
What about the part of his speech where states that whites and blacks can live separately like the fingers on a hand? Doesn't that seem like he's willing to accept separate but equal as the fate for African Americans?
11:45 AM
He was willing to accept a separate but equal fate of African Americans, but I don't see it as a cop out. I see it more as he is able to accept defeat. Living equally apart from the whites is better than living oppressed and unequal with them. And the southerners were terrible to the African Americans, so personally, if I were in their position I would not think it so terrible to live separate from the whites.
By urging African Americans that having a respectable economic situation and achieving independence was more important than their political and social equality for the moment was not intended to seem as though he believed that whites were superior, it was just a step in the process to becoming equal. How could they be seen as equal if they were not respected? Equality was his goal. His plan was that African Americans would work from the bottom up to achieve the position of power they wanted. I agree with Du Bois that African Americans should not of had to give up their rights to get the status they wanted, which the Civil War Amendments already guaranteed, but to pacify the whites I think Washington had the best approach.
5:47 PM
These two men are very interesting. I am looking forward to learning more about them.
6:01 PM
i wonder if i comment on this i'll get partiipation points?
10:38 PM
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