Final answer:
W.E.B. Du Bois identified 'the talented tenth' as the leaders in the black community, emphasizing the need for higher education and critical thinking to challenge racial inequality and lead social change.
Step-by-step explanation:
The group of people identified by W.E.B. Du Bois as the group leaders in the black community were referred to as "the talented tenth." Du Bois believed that this group was crucial for the advancement of African Americans because they were envisioned to be the educated leaders who would inspire and lead the broader community towards racial equality and social change. This leadership aligned with Du Bois's belief that higher education was essential for developing critical thinking and social leadership, which was more necessary for the black community due to the systemic discrimination and racist societal norms they faced.
Du Bois emphasized the need for a rigorous academic program to cultivate these leaders of thought and was instrumental in the push for political and social equality by founding organizations like the Niagara Movement and serving as a director for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). His teachings and leadership helped establish the foundations for the civil rights movements that would follow.