The post-reconstruction era began in 1877. Many Black leaders were stripped of power and robbed of their possessions, as White racists sought to put “uppity Negroes”  in their place. However, even many Whites who opposed the ugliness of slavery and Jim Crow believed Blacks to be inherently inferior. The great debate, thus, became how to secure first-class citizenship for Blacks. Two dominant schools of thought emerged, as presented by Booker T. Washington and W. E. DuBois. Washingtons philosophy of submissively earning the respect of the White man was eagerly embraced and aggressively promoted by White leaders and fearful Blacks, but DuBois’ belief that the time for equality was “now”grabbed the hearts and minds of Black leaders and youth. Many regarded Washington as a gatekeeper, while others regarded DuBois as a radical and a troublemaker.