Improving the economic condition of the Negro was a fundamental concern of both W. E. B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington. It was Washington's view that the Negro should be willing to perform menial tasks as a means for gaining a foothold in the economic structure. He counseled the Negro to start at the bottom. Washington's philosophy centered on education, patience, and then eventual advancement. The distinction between DuBois and Washington on education was one of degree. Washington minimized the importance of a college education while duBois called for a group of well-educated black leaders to work in Negro communities for the advancement of the others in the community. As an issue, education to advance the Negro economically indicates a similarity between the two speakers. The basis for the debate is clearer on the issue of social status. Washington did not deal with most of the inequities and instead tended to assure the white Southerner that the Negro did not want social integration. DuBois openly discussed the problem and regarded it as fundamental to the rights of man. The debate suggests several important implications for the study of minority rhetoric. It would appear that if a black leader wishes to be supported by whites, his viewpoints must avoid direct threats and demands. (WR)