The significance of the Atlanta Exposition, held in 1895, in relation to African American rights lies in the contrasting views presented by Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois. Washington's speech, known as the “Atlanta Compromise,” urged African Americans to accept vocational training and economic self-reliance over immediate civil rights, advocating a gradual approach to equality. In contrast, Du Bois criticized this stance, insisting on the need for immediate civil rights and higher education for African Americans. This event catalyzed critical discourse on race relations and strategies for achieving equality in the United States.