How Do The Rhetorical Strategies Employed By W.E.B. Du Bois In His 1913 Crisis Magazine Editorials On Lynching And Racial Violence Intersect With Or Diverge From The Contemporaneous Anti-lynching Activism Of Ida B. Wells, Particularly In Terms Of Their Uses Of Sentimentalism And Spectatorial Politics To Galvanize Public Opinion And Mobilize Collective Action?

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W.E.B. Du Bois and Ida B. Wells, both pivotal figures in the fight against lynching and racial violence in the early 20th century, employed distinct yet complementary rhetorical strategies that intersected and diverged in their use of sentimentalism and spectatorial politics.

Intersection:

  1. Exposure and Confrontation: Both Du Bois and Wells sought to expose the harsh realities of lynching to a broader audience. They used spectatorial politics to confront the public with the brutality of racial violence, making it impossible to ignore. Du Bois, through The Crisis, presented factual accounts and data, while Wells used graphic descriptions to vividly depict the atrocities.

  2. Moral Appeal: Both activists appealed to the moral conscience of their audience. Du Bois aimed to shame society through reasoned argument and factual exposure, while Wells used emotional and shocking content to provoke outrage and action.

Divergence:

  1. Sentimentalism: Du Bois's approach was more measured, balancing emotional appeal with intellectual arguments. He targeted a broader audience, including white moderates, to influence policy. In contrast, Wells employed intense sentimentalism, using vivid, often graphic descriptions to arouse anger and horror, particularly within the African American community and sympathetic allies.

  2. Tactics and Audience: Du Bois focused on reasoned exposure, aiming to inspire organized action through the NAACP, such as protests and lobbying. Wells, with her confrontational style, sought to provoke immediate action, often rallying direct community responses and public campaigns against specific lynchings.

Conclusion: While both Du Bois and Wells utilized sentimentalism and spectatorial politics to combat lynching, their strategies differed in tone and approach. Du Bois relied on factual shaming and a broader appeal, whereas Wells employed graphic emotionalism to provoke action. Their efforts, though differing in method, collectively contributed to keeping the issue prominent and pushing for social change.