Booker T. Washington in Ragtime
To understand the significance of Booker T. Washington in the narrative, we must have a better understanding of his identity and legacy. Washington was a man born into slavery, but he later gained freedom during the Civil War, as the state of West Virginia joined the Union side. After gaining freedom, Washington pursued higher education at various colleges and went on to create the Tuskegee Institute, a school for training teachers. He believed that African Americans would be able to better their lives through education, and his efforts towards working toward that goal made him the representative of African-Americans at the time. Washington exemplifies the story of the hard-working man that builds himself up to success, and he even earned grudging respect from some of his white peers due to his dedication.
In Ragtime, Washington does not commend Coalhouse for his rebellion. Instead, he chastises him and argues that Coalhouse is part of the reason African Americans are not respected in society. As someone who advocated for education and the rising of the average black man, why was he so mad at Coalhouse for advocating for his rights? After all, prior to being apprehended by the police, Coalhouse was a respectful and law-abiding black man, so shouldn’t Washington have fought harder for the discriminations Coalhouse faced?
I think of Doctorow's use of B. T. Washington as in the same category as his use of Emma Goldman--I don't see a lot of irony in his depiction, even if it's pretty clear that he is critical of Washington's refusal to acknowledge the justice of Coalhouse's rebellion, since as you say, this point of view is clearly in line with Washington's historical persona--just like we can predict that Goldman would very likely endorse Coalhouse if such an event had really happened (I can easily imagine her saying "Mr. Morgan has done some appropriating of his own"), BTW's response is consistent with the historical record. A "respectable" Black activist at the time would have wanted nothing to do with Coalhouse's militancy. (And as with so much in this novel, Doctorow's depiction of Washington is in line with contemporary 1970s post-Black Power views of him as accommodationist.)
ReplyDeleteBooker T. Washington believed that the best way to fight systemic racism was through peaceful means and self-improvement (I'm reminded of his famous metaphor "cast down your bucket where you are"). This was a step in the right direction but also not enough. A problem as great as systemic racism requires active change and mutual understanding. Coalhouse tried everything he could legally to get his car back but couldn't. In that situation, when does protest cross into "menace to society" territory, especially when harmless measures can be construed as violent by the oppressors? That's something relevant to basically any social movement ever
ReplyDeleteGood post! Booker T. Washington's denouncement of Coalhouse Walker's actions are a perfect display of the dismissal of one's identity in an attempt to assimilate and no longer feel ostracized by a community. By condemning Coalhouse and what he represents, Washington creates a distinction between the two to ensure that the public eye does not muddle blackness with Coalhouse-ness. Washington follows in the footsteps of white men and rejects people of his own identity so he can be seen as a person.
ReplyDeleteBooker T. Washington's interactions with Coalhouse are particularly interesting because they show such a contrast between different types of activism. Of course, Booker T. Washington believes in the phrase "cast down your bucket where you are," which often seemed like a weak form of activism for many who felt that it was complacent and accepting of inequality. Thus, his dismissal of Coalhouse definitely seems in character, as you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting how Doctorow decides to stay true to Booker T. Washington's values throughout the book, especially when compared to other characters -- perhaps this is due to some personal biases on Doctorow's part, or maybe he's offering his own personal criticisms to Booker T. Washington's methods. Washington seems to hold the view that total assimilation of black people into the white community is the main issue to focus on. In this way, he appropriates racism by insinuating that white culture is superior to black culture.
ReplyDeleteYes, I noticed this while reading that scene as well, BTW doesn't really seem fair during his conversation with Coalhouse. It's interesting because they are both characters with the similar main goals, the justice for/betterment of their race, but the divide in their methods highlights a similar debate happening at the time between those like BTW who want to avoid conflict, and those who believe the message was being watered down in his avoidance of conflict. I agree that Doctorow stayed true to opinions that BTW would have probably had about the Coalhouse situation, and seems to indirectly criticize him
ReplyDeleteI also thought this was interesting, as he had the conversation with Coalhouse, which didn't really achieve anything. I think that although BTW's peaceful means of advocating for African Americans is respectable, I don't think it's enough, because racists like the fire chief and society as a whole would just continue to harass African Americans and treat them unfairly. So, BTW coming to convince Coalhouse to give up was like a slap in the face, essentially just telling him to endure the harassments and not stand up for himself.
ReplyDeleteHey Anuprova, awesome post! I applaud you for doing all this extra research for it, and I definitely have a better understanding of Booker T Washington now. The idea you mention near the end reminds me a lot of Bledsoe or earlier versions of the narrator in Invisible Man (we read this book in AA Lit so this reference might not make sense to everyone lol). But basically these characters were educated black men who, in order to be accepted/thrive in society, had to conform to the standards and wishes of white people. They had to defer to white men and never question their authority or make a fuss. Consequently, when other black people rebelled or disturbed the social order, they opposed it, because their hard work to be seen as "respectable," or "one of the good ones" would be undone. I definitely see that parallel with Booker T. Washington in this story. Great job!
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