the Atlanta Compromise

The Atlanta Compromise was a speech made by African American leader Booker T. Washington in 1895. He argued that African Americans should focus on vocational education and economic self-reliance instead of demanding immediate civil rights and social equality. Washington believed that by proving their economic value, African Americans would earn the respect and eventual acceptance of white society. His approach was pragmatic, advocating for gradual progress, but it faced criticism from other leaders like W.E.B. Du Bois, who argued for immediate civil rights and higher education. The compromise highlighted differing strategies within the African American community during the post-Reconstruction era.