Why did W.E.B. Du Bois challenge Booker T. Washington even though they were both trying to help African Americans? Du Bois believed that Washington seemed to accept segregation as long as African Americans good get good jobs and still had the right to vote. Washington utilized violent protests to try and gain more rights for African Americans while Du Bois wanted to use peaceful demonstrations. Du Bois believed that Washington focused too much on the issue of segregation and did not focus on other issues such as the right to vote or the availability of jobs.