Read the excerpt from The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. Du Bois.Third, while it is a great truth to say that the [Black man] must strive and strive mightily to help himself, it is equally true that unless his striving be not simply seconded, but rather aroused and encouraged, by the initiative of the richer and wiser environing group, he cannot hope for great success. In his failure to realize and impress this last point, Mr. Washington is especially to be criticised. His doctrine has tended to make the whites, North and South, shift the burden of the [Black man] problem to the [Black man's] shoulders and stand aside as critical and rather pessimistic spectators; when in fact the burden belongs to the nation, and the hands of none of us are clean if we bend not our energies to righting these great wrongs.
Answer
A
White citizens are too judgmental to be helpful to Black citizens.
B
Black citizens need to work hard to be successful.
C
Washington is wrong to place all responsibility on Black citizens and dismiss the responsibility of White citizens.
D
Black citizens must not expect wealthy government officials to support and encourage them.
Explanation
Du Bois agrees that Black people must strive to help themselves, but he argues that their efforts also need support and encouragement from the more powerful white community. He criticizes Washington because his doctrine lets white people shift the burden onto Black people and watch from the sidelines. Du Bois says responsibility for correcting these wrongs belongs to the whole nation, making C the best answer.
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