The end of Reconstruction and the period known as the Redemption gave birth to the “new Negro.” Gene Jarrett, associate professor of English at Boston University, defines the "new Negro" as a time "when African Americans hoped to represent themselves in new and progressive ways, whether it was just politics or culture ". He goes on to say, “There was a transition from the old black, the plantation slave, to the new black, African Americans seen as more refined, educated, sophisticated, and involved in the political process” (Ullian 2008). Although there was a glut of civil rights activists at the time, four men stood out individually from the rest. Even though these four men have not always agreed with each other's ideas, one thing is certain; they all wanted to eventually see a nation of equality, each believing in a different way to achieve it. These four men are Alexander Crummell, WEB Du Bois, Booker T. Washington and Marcus Garvey. Although these men all come from different backgrounds, they indeed fought for the same cause. Alexander Crummell was born into a free family in 1819. Born into a life of activism, Crummell grew up in the house where the first African-American newspaper, Freedoms, was published. Journal, was published. Crummell worked with the American Anti-Slavery Society as a child and became the first black student to graduate from Cambridge. It was at Cambridge that Crummell developed his pan-Africanist thought. Pan-Africanists are people who believe that harmony is fundamental to economic, social, and political progress and who intend to unify and uplift people of African descent. Crummell also believed in the Talented Tenth, a term... middle of paper ... men who led to the birth of the "new Negro" and opened the doors to the freedom African Americans enjoy today. Although no two solutions were the same, the reason for the fight was undoubtedly the same. As for who had the better approach, trying to put myself in the mindset of someone living in these men's time, I would have said Booker T. Washington. Even though accommodation seems like a way of giving up, accepting the situation at hand and trying to improve seems much more humane than fighting and losing lives. This is a topic that could lead to countless hours, if not days, of debate, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Nevertheless, it is always safe to say that no matter how one looks at things or whichever approach one believes is best, these four men can be considered the founding fathers of African-American freedom. American..