An Intellectual Leader is Born

"In the course of his long career, Du Bois attempted virtually every possible solution to the problem of twentieth-century racism—scholarship, propaganda, integration, national self-determination, human rights, cultural and economic separatism, politics, international communism, expatriation, third world solidarity."

Biographer David Levering Lewis

On February 23 in Black History...

In 1868, William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.  Du Bois was an intellectual leader in the United States as sociologist, historian, civil rights activist, Pan-Africanist, author, and editor.  Du Bois graduated from Harvard, where he earned his Ph.D in History, the first African-American to earn a doctorate at Harvard. Later he became a professor of history and economics at Atlanta University. As head of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1910, he was founder and editor of the NAACP's journal The Crisis.  Du Bois was the most prominent intellectual leader and political activist on behalf of African Americans in the first half of the twentieth century.A contemporary of Booker T. Washington, he carried on a dialogue with the educator about segregation, political disfranchisement, and ways to improve African American life. He was labeled "The Father of Pan-Africanism." 

Along with Washington, Du Bois helped organize the "Negro Exhibition" at the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris.  http://www.webdubois.org/dbANParis.html It included Frances Benjamin Johnston's photos of Hampton Institute's black students.  The Negro exhibition focused on African Americans' positive contributions to American society.  Du Bois is viewed by many as a modern day prophet. This is highlighted by his "Credo", a prose-poem first published in The Independent in 1904.  See text of Credo below. W.E.B. Du Bois wrote his Credo at Atlanta University as a rejection of the politics of Booker T. Washington, whose work toward racial equality demanded a slow, steady approach that was viewed by some, Du Bois included, as too accomodating of the status quo.

       

"The Negro Race, like all races, is going to be saved by its exceptional men. The problem of education then, among Negroes, must first of all deal with the "Talented Tenth." It is the problem of developing the best of this race that they may guide the Mass away from the contamination and death of the worst."  WEB DuBois

In 1905, Du Bois, along with Minnesota attorney Fredrick L. McGhee and others, helped found the Niagara Movement with William Monroe Trotter. The Movement championed freedom of speech and criticism, the recognition of the highest and best human training as the monopoly of no caste or race, full male suffrage, a belief in the dignity of labor, and a united effort to realize such ideals under sound leadership.

The alliance between Du Bois and Trotter was, however, short-lived, as they had a dispute over whether or not white people should be included in the organization and in the struggle for civil rights. Believing that they should, in 1909 Du Bois with a group of like-minded supporters founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Du Bois wrote and published more than 4,000 articles, essays, and books over the course of his 95-year life. Most of these are out of print and hard to find even in their original publications. No edition of his complete works has yet been published. In 1977, Paul G. Partington published a bibliography of Du Bois's published works, titled W. E. B. Du Bois: A Bibliography of His Published Writings. (Whittier, CA: c.1977, 1979 (rev. ed.)) (privately published). ISBN 0-9602538-1-5. A supplement was published in 1984, titled W. E. B. Du Bois: A Bibliography of His Published Writings—Supplement. (Whittier, CA: c. 1984), 20 pages. The supplement represented Partington's research in the Du Bois papers owned by the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Du Bois was invited to Ghana in 1961 by President Kwame Nkrumah to direct the Encyclopedia Africana, a government production, and a long-held dream of his. When, in 1963, he was refused a new U.S. passport, he and his wife, Shirley Graham Du Bois, became citizens of Ghana. Contrary to some opinions (including David Levering Lewis's Pulitzer Prize winning biography of Du Bois), he never renounced his US citizenship, even when denied a passport to travel to Ghana. Du Bois' health had declined in 1962, and on August 27, 1963, he died in Accra, Ghana at the age of ninety-five, one day before Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.  Du Bois is buried at the Du Bois Memorial Centre in Accra.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._E._B._Du_Bois#cite_note-16

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DuBois' Credo

I believe in God who made of one blood all races that dwell on earth. I believe that all men, black and white, are brothers, varying through Time and Opportunity, in form and gift and feature, but differing in no essential particular, and alike in soul and in the possibility of infinite development. 
Especially do I believe in the Negro Race; in the beauty of its genius, the sweetness of its soul, and its strength in that meekness which shall yet inherit this turbulent earth.

I believe in pride of race and lineage and self; in pride of self so deep as to scorn injustice to other selves; in pride of lineage so great as to despise no man's father; in pride of race so chivalrous as neither to offer bastardy to the weak nor beg wedlock of the strong, knowing that men may be brothers in Christ, even though they be not brother-in-law.

I believe in Service–humble reverent service, from the blackening of boots to the whitening of souls; for Work is Heaven, Idleness is Hell, and Wage is the “Well done!” of the Master who summoned all them that labor and are heavy laden, making no distinction between the black sweating cotton-hands of Georgia and the First Families of Virginia, since all distinction not based on deed is devilish and not divine.

I believe in the Devil and his angels, who wantonly work to narrow the opportunity of struggling human beings, especially if they be black; who spit in the faces of the fallen, strike them that cannot strike again, believe the worst and work to prove it, hating the image which their Maker stamped on a brother's soul.

I believe in the Prince of Peace. I believe that War is Murder. I believe that armies and navies are at bottom the tinsel and braggadocia of oppression and wrong; and I believe that the wicked conquest of weaker and darker nations by nations whiter and stronger but foreshadows the death of that strength.

I believe in Liberty for all men; the space to stretch their arms and their souls; the right to breathe and the right to vote, the freedom to choose their friends, enjoy the sunshine and ride on the railroads, uncursed by color; thinking, dreaming, working as they will in the kingdom of God and love.

I believe in the training of children, black even as white; the leading out of little souls into the green pastures and beside the still waters, not for pelf or peace, but for Life lit by some large vision of beauty and goodness and truth; lest we forget, and the sons of the fathers, like Esau, for mere meat barter their birthright in a mighty nation.

Finally, I believe in Patience–patience with the weakness of the Weak and the strength of the Strong, the prejudice of the Ignorant and the ignorance of the Blind; patience with the tardy triumph of Joy and the mad chastening of Sorrow–patience with God.

http://www.library.umass.edu/spcoll/duboisopedia/doku.php?id=about:credo



Black Men Leading the Charge

These black men, intellectuals, contemporaries of each other, have led the charge over the years. Let us appreciate the diversity in approaching the common cause of advancement and equality for African-Americans from Booker T. through today.

Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. Du Bois

Contemporaries of their time, these three black men were leaders following their own path as they advocated a better life for African-Americans during their time.

"If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else."
Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington

Booker T. Washington Representing the last generation of black leaders born into slavery advocated the advancement of black people through education and self help. He founded the Tuskegee Institute.

Marcus Garvey, leader of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, was the first African-American leader in American history to organize masses of people in a political movement. The ad above was featured in Garvey's magazine, The Negro World. During August 1920, the UNIA holds its first International Convention of the Negro Peoples of the World at Madison Square Garden and adopts the Declaration of Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World. He worked with and supported WEB DuBois but later had major philosophical disagreements and described Du Bois as "purely and simply a white man's nigger" and "a little Dutch, a little French, a little Negro ... a mulatto ... a monstrosity." In spite of disagreements with his contemporaries, Garvey's leadership influenced next generation civil rights leaders such as Malcolm X.

"The Negro Race, like all races, is going to be saved by its exceptional men. The problem of education then, among Negroes, must first of all deal with the "Talented Tenth." It is the problem of developing the best of this race that they may guide the Mass away from the contamination and death of the worst."

W.E.B. DuBois

WEB DuBois, In reference to his disagreement with Marcus Garvey, DuBois once wrote,

"Garvey is, without doubt, the most dangerous enemy of the Negro race in America and in the world. He is either a lunatic or a traitor."

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X

These two men were the leaders of the Civil Rights movements. King was a Christian minister who promoted racial injustice with a message of peace for a future of equality in America. Malcolm X was a Muslim minister accused of preaching violence but was also staunch advocate for African-American rights by any means necessary. He founded the Organization of Afro-American Unity. Both men were assassinated and are considered martyrs for the civil rights fight in America.
Reflection: Since their time, most African-Americans have come to embrace both men as leaders of the movement and appreciate them with all their differences for leading the charge for equality for African-Americans. If they had not been assassinated, however, would their legacy be as strong? Do people always have to die to propel a movement forward? What would be their platform if they were still alive today?

Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. and Rev. Al Sharpton

These two men came during the transition from Civil Rights to where we are today. Jesse Jackson founded the Rainbow/PUSH coalition and ran for the democratic nomination for president in 1984 and 1988. Al Sharpton was and still is primarily an activist and community leader and was also a democratic candidate for president in 2004.

Reflection: These men continued the "civil rights style" advocacy after the civil rights movement of the 60's. They transitioned more into the political arena over the past few decades but their relevance as leaders has been questioned as a new generation of African-Americans have been born. Gen X and Gen Y were not alive during the movement and have faced a different set of issues and have created a different style of advocacy and progress. What should the role of Jackson and Sharpton be now? We all have a place in our culture, how should we embrace these two men in 2009? President Barack Obama and Michael Steele

President Barack Obama is the first African-American president. He has made history.

Reflection:  Should he be held to different standards as president? by society as a whole? by African-Americans? Whether you support him or not, his impact on today's society is unquestionable. Should he be considered a black leader such as Booker T., Martin or Garvey when he has not proclaimed himself as such? Could it be that he is actually such a leader but doing it his own way...an African-American man who happens to be the leader of the free world? By just doing his thing, his leadership and success is an example that even though the struggle is still there, we can still be who we want to be.

Michael Steele is the current chair of the Republican National Committee. Elected after six rounds of voting, he became the 1st African-American chairman of the RNC. His prior political offices include Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and Chairman of GOPAC and Chairman of the Maryland State Republican Party. Here are 10 more things you may or may not know about Michael Steele.
Reflection: Two points to make before discussing the afam issue here. Note that I am deliberately using token as a verb not a noun to focus on the act, process and theory as opposed to the individual person.This brings us to my second point. Just because I am bringing up the issue of tokenism should not imply that the skills of the new leader of the RNC are in question.
Amid my first reaction to the news of Michael Steelee as the newly elected head of the RNC, my chief concern/question is this: Is the Republican party is so lacking of diversity that is continues to result to tokenism? The Republicans seemed to use Steele's RNC speech a few years ago was the answer to Obama's DNC speech. They hoped that Palin would be the answer to Clinton. Now again it seems that Steele is being used as the anti-Obama and also as the true token - "see we have a black man too, and we let him lead us!" Is it all staged? Did the previous RNC chair excuse himself from the race due to pressure to let a black man lead? Just another day of pulling the token to up the political ante?  It is yet to be seen if Steele will allow himself to be played as a pawn in the "anti-Obama" role or if he will demonstrate true leadership in his convictions as an African-American individual whether I agree with his position or not.