Final answer:
W.E.B. Du Bois included NPHC organizations in his 'talented tenth' framework, which identified the top 10% of educated and skilled African Americans destined to lead and elevate the rest of the community. He opposed purely vocational training and aimed to foster a well-rounded education to confront racial inequality and discrimination through organizations such as the NAACP and the Niagara Movement. Du Bois envisioned these leaders as essential to progress and viewed education as a means of cultural empowerment, ultimately contributing to the civil rights movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
W.E.B. Du Bois, a pioneering African American intellectual and a co-founder of the NAACP, included NPHC organizations in his concept of the “talented tenth.” This term refers to the top 10% of African Americans who he believed should serve as cultural and political leaders to advance the status of the entire race. Du Bois argued that higher education and leadership skills were crucial for these individuals to effect change and confront inequality. His essay, ‘The Talented Tenth,’ emphasized that outstandingly-intelligent African Americans were not just to acquire vocational skills, but also be groomed as leaders of thought and missionaries of culture among their people. He rejected Booker T. Washington's approach of accommodating white supremacy through vocational education and instead sought to elevate the African American community through higher learning, civil rights advocacy, and the promotion of Negro nationalism.
He envisioned that the advancement of African Americans would largely come from the educated elite, who would be responsible for lifting up the rest of the community. His rejection of purely vocational training highlighted his belief in the power of a well-rounded education in fostering leaders capable of navigating the complex landscape of racial social structures and promoting racial equality. Through organizations like the Niagara Movement and the NAACP, Du Bois and other leaders championed civil liberties and an end to discrimination, setting a foundation for future civil rights achievements.
Late in his life, Du Bois's views evolved towards Pan-Africanism, and he strongly encouraged Blacks to embrace their African heritage and work collectively for their betterment. This embrace of African identity and culture was also seen in his role in ushering in the Harlem Renaissance, where he asserted that the talented tenth of African American artists were capable of producing art as sophisticated as that of any white artists. Ultimately, Du Bois's vision for the talented tenth was an essential aspect of his broader fight for social justice and racial equality until the end of his life.