The South was a complete mess after the Civil War. The early part of the 20th century brought many changes for African Americans. Helping newly free African American slaves assimilate among their white counterparts was a difficult challenge. They suffered from crop failure, economic hardship, and the early failures of reconstruction in the South. As a result, many Southern African Americans migrated to Northern cities in search of work and a chance at a better life. However, Southern African Americans migrating to Northern cities quickly found that they were unable to enjoy the same social and economic mobility experienced by their European immigrant counterparts arriving at the same time. There were many questions that needed to be asked and answered not only among politicians, but among entire black and white populations. Booker T. Washington, W. E. B. Du Bois, and John Hope all attempted to overcome these difficult questions by drawing on their own experiences and cultural influences by sharing their opinions. A highly respected African American leader named Booker T. Washington gave a speech that would later be called the "Atlanta Compromise" at the Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta on September 18, 1895 (Booker T. Washington Biography). Booker T. Washington was born into slavery and eventually gained freedom after the end of the Civil War. He was biracial, but never knew who his white father was (Booker T. Washington Biography). His “Atlanta Compromise” speech was highly controversial among the African-American community. This speech was controversial, because Washington basically told African Americans to “work within the system” and “try to get along” with whites (43-45). It was an agreement... middle of paper... d. Network. February 14, 2014. .Du bois, WEB "On Mr. Booker T. Washington and others." Np: np, n.d. 94-107. The souls of the black people. Network. 16 February 2014. < https://courses.cscc.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-4761040-dt-content-rid-25273687_1/courses/HIST-1152-600-62052-SP-2014/WEB DuBois.pdf> Hope, John. “A Critique of the Atlanta Compromise.” For the record. 5th ed. Vol 2. New York and London: Norton and nd 46-47. Print."Biography of John Hope." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television and Web. February 16, 2014..Washington, Booker T. "The Atlanta Compromise." For the record. 5th ed. Vol 2. New York and London: Norton and nd 43-45. Print."WEB Biography Du Bois." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television and Web. February 15. 2014..