“It seems to me,” said Booker T.,
“It shows a mighty lot of cheek
To study chemistry and Greek
When Mister Charlie needs a hand
To hoe the cotton on his land,
And when Miss Ann looks for a cook,
Why stick your nose inside a book?"

“I don't agree,” said W.E.B.
“If I should have the drive to seek
Knowledge of chemistry or Greek,
I'll do it. Charles and Miss can look
Another place for hand or cook,
Some men rejoice in skill of hand,
And some in cultivating land,
But there are others who maintain
The right to cultivate the brain.”
“It seems to me,” said Booker T.,
“That all you folks have missed the boat
Who shout about the right to vote,
And spend vain days and sleepless nights
In uproar over civil rights.
Just keep your mouths shut, do not grouse,
But work, and save, and buy a house.”

“I don't agree,” said W.E.B.
“For what can property avail
If dignity and justice fail?
Unless you help to make the laws,
They'll steal your house with trumped-up clause.
A rope's as tight, a fire as hot,
No matter how much cash you've got.
Speak soft, and try your little plan,
But as for me, I'll be a man.”
“It seems to me,” said Booker T.--
“I don't agree,” said W.E.B.





Top photo: Booker T. Washington
Bottom photo: W.E.B. Dubois

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.

"If I could save the Union, without freeing the slaves, I would do it. If I could do it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would do that. What I do about slavery and the coloured race, I do because I believe it would help to save the Union."
Those were the words of our beloved 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. He penned those words in a letter to Horace Greely, written August 22, 1862. In the letter, he expressly stated his only purpose for freeing the slaves was to save the Union, which was in the middle of a civil war.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON is best remembered for helping Black Americans rise up from the economic slavery that held them down long after they were legally free citizens.

Booker T. Washington was born in 1856 on the Burroughs tobacco farm. His mother, a slave, was a cook, and his father a White man from a nearby farm. He went to school in Franklin County but could only carry books for one of James Burroughs's daughters. In April 1865, when the Emancipation Proclamation was read in front of the Burroughs home, Booker's family left to join his stepfather in Malden, West Virginia.

A brief overview of the history of the Black Indian Seminole Scouts

Frederick Douglass was born in February, 1818, near the town of Easton, Maryland. Separated from his mother when only a few weeks old he was raised by his grandparents. At about the age of six, his grandmother left him on his master’s plantation.

Later, he was sent to Baltimore to live as a houseboy with Hugh and Sophia Auld, relatives of his master. His new mistress taught him the alphabet. When her husband forbade her to continue, he made the neighborhood boys his teachers, by giving away his food in exchange for lessons in reading and writing.

William Edward Burghardt Du Bois (February 23, 1868 - August 27, 1963) was an American civil rights activist, leader, Pan-Africanist, sociologist, educator, historian, writer, editor, poet, and scholar. He became a naturalized citizen of Ghana in 1963 at the age of 95. On Feb. 23, 1868, he was born in Great Barrington, Mass. Du Bois’s most lasting contribution is his writing. Du Bois died in Ghana on Aug. 27, 1963, on the eve of the civil rights march in Washington, D.C. He was given a state funeral.

AUSTIN– The Capital City African American Chamber of Commerce will host a Black History Month reception, “A Celebration of Our Inheritance” on February 16, 6 p.m., at the Carver Museum and Cultural Center, 1165 Angelina. The reception will feature Black History Month information, music, art, and appetizers.  Also, the ProArts Collective group will present a special show in the museum’s theater. The event is open to the public.

Carter G. Woodson

Carter G. Woodson founded Negro History Week in 1926 in order to focus attention on Black contributions.  This celebration and remembrance would later become Black History Month.

The televised Black Entertainment Network 2010 awards recognized five African Americans. The Entrepreneur honoree was Sean “Diddy” Combs, the Entertainment honoree was Whitney Houston, the Public Service/medicine honoree was Dr. Keith Black, the Media honoree was Queen Latifah, and the Education honoree was Dr. Ruth Simmons. The recipients each had a story to tell of their struggles and the ability to withstand the odds that were against them. They are a part of history-making which, by some standards, white America continually ignores. Therefore, it is incumbent upon every African American to keep the dream alive. One way is through the celebration of the success stories that we have heard from the beginning of slavery up to the generation of 2010. Justice and righteousness opened doors for us to celebrate our unique history.