The middle ages begin with the fall of the western half in 476

booker t. washington was an educator who established the tuskegee institute. washington argued that african americans should learn trades that would offer them the opportunity to be progressive citizens. instead of fighting against discrimination, washington argued that african americans should use their education and knowledge to become self-sufficient in american society and not in competition with white americans.

w.e.b du bois was the founder of the niagara movement and later the naacp, du bois disagreed with washington. he argued that african americans should consistently fight for racial equality.

ida b. wells was a journalist who wrote about the horrors of lynching in the south. wells work could be considered muckraking as it led to the development of the anti-lynching campaign.