Think Piece

During the slavery time, Blacks were in constant struggle with Whites when it came to the fight for their rights. This was particularly evident after Blacks had been freed and they started competing for the opportunities with Whites. Thus, Whites started perceiving them as a threat to their welfare, and during this difficult time, Blacks had to endure quite a struggle for suffrage and equality. Equity in society is a phenomenon that has continued to be elusive for many people, and the struggle towards an equitable society continues even now. Similarly, this readings analysis aims at shedding light on the applicability of factors that were at play in the Blacks’ fights for freedom and equality in current life besides demonstrating the readings’ influence towards the understanding of history at macro-level and their general influence on self-perception.

First, it should be mentioned that the issues in the readings are still applicable in today’s society. In the context of The Souls of Black Folk, Booker T Washington is tries to ask Blacks to compromise their constant agitation as a means of showing good will toward an eventuality of mutual benefits between Blacks and Whites (DuBois 44). This demand made by Washington is very common in the current era when it comes to conflict resolution. A good pointing case is the Syrian War, where the UN Security Council has called on the warring fronts to compromise and reach an agreement to the long war. Similarly, in the reading When and Where I Enter: The Impact of Black Women on Race and Sex in America, the main issue is on the Blacks’ struggle to achieve equality and their right share in society. This is currently reflective in many societies, where inequality remains a problem that continues to serve some people at the expense of others. Furthermore, in the speech “Up from Slavery” made by Booker T. Washington’s at the Atlanta Exposition, the argument is that together, the two races are better placed than working individually. Thus, the agitation that the two races had unique attributes brought them together for the better of all (Washington 219). Unity is a call that is still heavily present in current society, where different people/nations come together for a common agenda a phenomenon that has seen the United Nations Organization to continue to exist.

Further, the readings have the elements that have captured history on a macro-level, but at the same time, they reflect some approach that shapes the arguments on a micro-based level. Thus, in The Souls of Black Folk, the author’s experience under different leaders provides an insight on how different leadership approaches have either played a supportive or detrimental role in the fight for recognition and equality of Black Americans (DuBois 40-43). Thus, this multi-perceptiveness of leadership helps in shedding light on the bigger picture of the constant call for common movements and conflicting ideologies on the best way to fight for Blacks’ rights. However, the experience is highly limited in demonstrating history at macro level due to the perspective being heavily centered on one component (leadership) as a factor that has either helped or jeopardized efforts of improving the welfare of Black Americans. Similarly, in When and Where I Enter:

The Impact of Black Women on Race and Sex in America, the analysis sheds light on Blacks’ welfare in the South from a divergent scope. This includes the economy, the justice system, and racialism as the factors that continued to cartel the gains towards independence of Blacks, thus bringing a macro understanding of the history of Blacks’ struggles. However, the primary insight availed rotates about the targeting of Blacks as an intentional decision by Whites to ensure that they do not experience economic competition (Giddings 28). Thus, this single-based approach leans the discussion towards being micro-based rather than macro-based in shedding light on Blacks’ historical struggles in the South. The same case is with Up from Slavery, where Washington dwells on how the cooperation between Blacks and Whites in the South could have yielded different results, a phenomenon that would help in demonstrating how the lives of Blacks and Whites were intertwined (222) in different platforms, bringing about a macro understanding of this era. However, the dominant factor was the economic reasons for the cooperation, and this approach jeopardized the element of the macro-based approach of the perspective.

All these readings bring a new perspective on what characterized the Black struggle, thus changing the notion that it was all about revolts. Thus, The Souls of Black Folk altered the ideology that conflict and revolts were the most successful ways that Blacks used to change their destiny in the slavery era, but indeed, different types of leaders were crucial in bringing about the change. Similarly, When and Where I Enter: The Impact of Black Women on Race and Sex in America brings forth a new perspective of the power behind the struggles of Blacks. Therefore, due to this constant battle to have their economic freedom, they were perceived as economic threats to Whites in the South. Furthermore, as stated in “Up from Slavery”, the praise from Whites that Washington received after the speech mad it evident that sometimes, the petty politics of color were overshadowed by a deed that had mutual benefit of Whites and Blacks.

Thus, it is clear that the factors that characterized the era of Black struggle are still heavily present in current societies, with some of the solutions proposed back then still being used as a means towards solving conflicts. Moreover, it is evident that in the readings, the aspects of macro- and micro approach are used in the arguments. Therefore, it clear that all the readings have crucial insights that change the common perception of how things used to be for Blacks during the slave era in the South.