Final answer:
W.E.B. Du Bois's demands given at 'The Address to the Country' included universal suffrage, civic equality, compulsory education, the elimination of the convict lease system, and the education of youth according to ability. These demands highlight Du Bois's advocacy for African American equality through education and legal rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
W.E.B. Du Bois's Five Demands in "The Address to the Country"
W.E.B. Du Bois was a seminal figure in the fight for African American equality and was instrumental in the establishment of the Niagara Movement, the precursor to the NAACP. In "The Address to the Country," Du Bois and his colleagues laid out five core demands to address the political, economic, and social disparities facing African Americans. These demands were:
- Universal suffrage - The right for African Americans to vote without discriminatory practices impeding their civic participation.
- Civic equality - An end to racial discrimination and a recognition of the same legal rights for both Black and White citizens.
- Compulsory education - The establishment of an education system accessible to all, regardless of race.
- The elimination of the convict lease system - An end to the exploitation of Black labor and the dehumanizing conditions under this form of incarceration.
- The education of youth according to ability - A demand that education should be tailored to the skills and capabilities of the individual, promoting the development of leaders from within the African American community.
The demands articulate a clear and direct challenge to the status quo of racial inequality and represent Du Bois's broader ethos, which placed great emphasis on education and equal rights as the cornerstone of progress for African Americans.