The Talented Tenth

Running head: THE TALENTED TENTH

The Talented Tenth

Brian Joseph

Jackson State University

Abstract

In 1903 civil right activist W.E.B. Dubois wrote an essay emphasizing the necessity for higher education to develop the leadership capacity among the most able 10 percent of black Americans. An essay which would later be called "The Talented Tenth", (Dubois, W.E.B., 1903) in this essay Dubois laid out a challenge for black education. A challenge that has yet to be realized nearly 100 years after Dubois issued it. Dubois challenged African-Americans to educate themselves to their full potential. As a result African American today are more advance and educated but still most are still lacking the education and skills that Dubois address in his essay.

What is The Talented Tenth?

The "Talented Tenth" (Dubois, W.E.B., 1903) was an essay wrote by W.E.B. Dubois emphasizing the necessity for higher education to develop the leadership capacity among the most able 10 percent of African Americans. In September 1903 W.E.B. Dubois states in his essay:

"The Negro race, like all races, is going to be saved by its exceptional men. The problem of education, then, among Negroes must first of all deal with the Talented Tenth; it is the problem of developing the Best of this race that they may guide the Mass away from the contamination and death of the Worst, in their own and other races." (Dubois, W.E.B., 1903)

From the above statement what W.E.B. Dubois believed is that the "Talented Tenth" (Dubois, W.E.B., 1903) could lead the African American population to social equality, armed only with education and righteousness. He thought