Racism will always be a dark spot on America’s history. From slavery to segregation, it is something to be ashamed of; it is something we can’t erase but we should learn from the past. With adversity also comes heroism. Many reformers have stood up to the abuse. In this blog post, I want to compare Pecola, from The Bluest Eye, and her community to previous civil-rights activists. The first two that come to mind, both very different in their styles of remonstration, are Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois. Washington emphasizes the importance to adapt to white culture. He believed that with time, after working hard to make money, African Americans would eventually be accepted within society. His ideologies are most comparable to those of Pecola. Morrison demonstrates that many of the characters would rather become white than fight for their rights to be black. W.E.B Du Bois rejected Washington’s teachings. He believed that African-Americans should demand equal rights rather than take a back seat and just hope for change. Unfortunately, after years of attempting different solutions to the problems of slavery, Du Bois gave up on hope in America and moved back to his native country: Ghana. The civil-rights movement was a turbulent time for all activists. It was hard enough for them to gain respect of their white peers. As for Pecola, respect can never be achieved. She does not even believe in herself, therefore no one else in her community will ever believe that she is worth something.
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