The author's main claim is that "Washington makes serious mistakes in his argument." Du Bois critiques the views promoted by Booker T. Washington, highlighting the dangers of the half-truths in Washington's propaganda regarding the treatment of Black people and the broader social context.
Read the excerpt from The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. Du Bois.
Notwithstanding this, it is equally true to assert that on the whole the distinct impression left by Mr. Washington’s propaganda is, first, that the South is justified in its present attitude toward the Negro because of the Negro’s degradation; secondly, that the prime cause of the Negro’s failure to rise more quickly is his wrong education in the past; and, thirdly, that his future rise depends primarily on his own efforts. Each of these propositions is a dangerous half-truth.
What is the author’s main claim?
The Southern states are correct in how they treat Black voters.
Washington makes serious mistakes in his argument.
People’s future prosperity depends on how hard they work.
Black people have been unable to advance because they lack education.
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