It startled the nation to hear a Negro advocating such a programme after many decades of bitter complaint; it startled and won the applause of the South, it interested and won the admiration of the North; and after a confused murmur of protest, it silenced if it did not convert the Negroes themselves.
Du Bois analyzes the widespread national reception of Booker T. Washington's program, noting its appeal to both North and South and its effect on Black public discourse.
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