Discussion Starter: W.E.B Du Bois on Education

In The Souls of Black Folk, W.E.B Du Bois explains the race relationship between white and black people  by outlining how the two worlds collide in “...physical proximity of homes,...economic relations,...and political relations…”(Du Bois, 106). His point of view is explained after the emancipation of slaves in the South and their lack of direction or support from the American government and people. Worse is the exploitation by Southern whites towards Black people who, due to a history of subjugation were “ handicapped by a training the very opposite to the of the modern self - reliant democratic laborer” (108). His conclusion was that black people post emancipation were left powerless but given “Of such weapons the greatest, perhaps, in the modern world is the power of the ballot…” (110). The power suffrage gave black people the leverage they needed in American society to at least be recognized as people despite the physical barriers such as very segregated neighborhoods. To Du Bois, voting is an important tool that can be used by black people to escape their unfortunate situation, however the lack of access to education impedes black people from ever successfully thriving.

Du Bois understands the privilege of education for in America evidenced in his observations of public schools between for black and white people. He writes “For every five dollars spent for public education in the State of Georgia, the white schools get four dollars and the Negro one dollar.” (114). This system of underdeveloped, underfunded education system in America still occurs today often in cities populated by black people. Affirmative Action allows for a balancing of the scale between people where education is a privilege and education is a necessity, often relying on socioeconomic factors as a determinant. It seems that Du Bois would advocate for affirmative action  because he understands that equality and representation is not the same for all citizens in  American society. Additionally, like voting, education seems to be a junction where black and white people can meet. Understanding of each other now America requires co - inhabiting the same space, cooperating, and understanding each other. Of the Coming of John outlines how two Johns, one black, one white, can have completely different upbringings and race only to meet years later as educated men, albeit at the resentment of the white John. Education is power for the newly freed black people, and for future generations, in America and has been since. Affirmative action is criticized for making it unfair to white people, however based on the decades of inequality and discrimination, education seems more like a threat to a tired, old system of the United States.