Final answer:
W.E.B. Du Bois held the educated leaders of the African American community, which he termed the Talented Tenth, as responsible for driving racial progress and improving the lives of black Americans through education, leadership, and the promotion of civil rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
Who is responsible for improving the lives of black Americans according to Du Bois?
According to W.E.B. Du Bois, the responsibility for improving the lives of black Americans lies with the black community, particularly the educated leaders among them. Du Bois coined the term the Talented Tenth to describe the top ten percent of the black population that should lead the way in fighting for racial equality and elevating African American society through education and leadership. The Talented Tenth were seen by Du Bois as being essential in fostering social and political change that would improve the situation of African Americans. Du Bois's work emphasized that higher education and intellectual growth are critical, not just utilitarian vocational training, as was supported by his contemporary, Booker T. Washington.
Du Bois believed that while support from other communities and races is important, it is ultimately the responsibility of the African American community itself to lead this progress. He argued that the educated among the African Americans would become leaders of thought and would instill a sense of pride in their heritage while fighting against discrimination and inequality. This would, in his view, necessitate opposition to systems that entrenched black subjugation and working towards social policies that would promote equality and civil rights, as evidenced through his work with the NAACP.