Booker T. and W.E.B.

Booker T. and W.E.B.

By Dudley Randall

"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.

 

Page 929 in Jago

Randall, Dudley. "Booker T. and W.E.B." HU Archives Net. 1 Aug. 1999. Web. 5 Nov. 2014. <http://www.huarchivesnet.howard.edu/9908huarnet/randall.htm>.

            This poem speaks to the idea of both conformity and rebellion. Booker T. Washington was somewhat of a conformist during his time, as he believed that African Americans should not fight for legal equality, but work hard towards achieving economic equality. Average Americans found this approach to civil rights less threatening to the existing power structure and often times supported the words of Booker T. Washington. Washington was more focused on convincing African Americans to work hard to "buy a house" instead of spending time in an "uproar over civil rights." On the other hand, W. E. B. DuBois represented a "radical" civil rights leader at the time; he wanted actual equality as soon as possible for African Americans, encouraging them to become educated and "help to make the laws." Both leaders were famously at odds on almost all issues, which is shown by the last three lines of the poem, in which Booker T. starts saying something and W.E.B. DuBois immediately replies with "I don't agree." The author of the poem, Dudley Randall, is using their characters and words to set up this idea of political conformity (Booker T.) versus political rebellion (W.E.B.).