Identify and describe

Question

prominent African
American leaders during
the Progressive Era.

Answer 1

During the Progressive Era, several prominent African American leaders emerged who fought for civil rights and social justice.

1. W.E.B. Du Bois: Du Bois was a sociologist, historian, and civil rights activist who co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909. He was a prominent advocate for the rights of African Americans and helped lead campaigns against lynching, segregation, and discrimination.

2. Booker T. Washington: Washington was an educator, author, and advisor to multiple presidents. He founded the Tuskegee Institute and was a proponent of vocational education for African Americans. Washington's "Atlanta Compromise" speech in 1895 called for Black Americans to accept segregation and focus on economic advancement, which was criticized by Du Bois and other civil rights activists.

3. Ida B. Wells: Wells was a journalist, educator, and civil rights activist who campaigned against lynching in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She documented numerous cases of lynching and worked tirelessly to raise awareness about the issue and push for anti-lynching legislation.

4. Mary Church Terrell: Terrell was an educator, activist, and one of the first African American women to earn a college degree. She was a founding member of the NAACP and the National Association of Colored Women. Terrell was a fierce advocate for women's suffrage and civil rights for African Americans.

5. Madam C.J. Walker: Walker was an entrepreneur and philanthropist who became one of the first self-made female millionaires in the United States. She founded a successful hair care and beauty products business that catered to African American women. Walker used her wealth to support education, entrepreneurship, and civil rights causes.

These leaders played a significant role in advancing the rights and opportunities of African Americans during the Progressive Era. Their activism and advocacy laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.