Final answer:
W. E. B. Du Bois's primary criticism of Booker T. Washington's advice was Washington's emphasis on vocational education and accommodation to white interests over the pursuit of civil rights and higher education for African Americans. Du Bois believed in cultivating a leadership elite through an academic curriculum and vigorously challenging racial injustices.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary criticism W. E. B. Du Bois had towards Booker T. Washington's advice to the black community revolved around Washington's apparent accommodation to white interests, his silence on civil and political rights, and his focus on vocational training over higher education. Du Bois addressed these criticisms in his seminal work, The Souls of Black Folk, arguing for the need to develop a leadership cadre among African Americans through a focus on liberal arts and an academic curriculum. He felt that racial equality was reliant on the emergence of highly educated black leaders, known as "the talented tenth," and opposed the notion that black colleges should focus solely on vocational skills, thus challenging Washington's principles which emphasized practical education and submission to the socio-political status quo.
Moreover, Du Bois criticized Washington's stance of projecting the responsibility of the 'Negro problem' onto the shoulders of black people, when he believed it was a national issue requiring the involvement of the whole society. Du Bois's critique highlighted the dangers of accepting the alleged inferiority of the Negro races and the need for a united effort in opposing prejudice and advocating for civil rights.
Washington's approach, according to Du Bois, not only overlooked elements of true manhood but also posed a threat by potentially accepting second-class citizenship. Du Bois highlighted that active striving for equality must be encouraged by the richer and wiser groups within society for true success to be achieved.