Fit in or stand out?

In our group today in class, we looked at the section about the African Americans in Ch.7.  We briefly talked about the 14th ammendment and the Plessy vs. Ferguson Supreme Court case.  However, we decided to focus our talk on Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois.  We noticed that they both had very different view on what the African Americans should do in response to segregation.  Washington believed that they should compromise with the whites and that they should remain segregated from the whites whereas Du Bois believed that there should be no compromise with the whites and that there should be no segregation at all.  With this, we discussed Washington's reasons for why he would want to compromise with the whites.  We found it hard to believe that he actually felt that this is where they belonged in society.  We then wondered whether he was afraid to stand out, as Du Bois did, or if he had another plan in mind that would bring about a better outcome if they were to segregate for some time.  I personally think that he had to have had some sort of idea in mind but I also do not know any more details on him or his beliefs. 


This got me to thinking about whether it is best to fit in or stand out in controversial situations?  As we grow up we are always told to be a leader, not a follower, and many times I feel that this is accurate.  I think it is important that everyone stand up for what they believe and exercise their freedoms and I believe that this is important to teach our students.  I am sure that there are examples, though I cannot think of any now, in which it would be better to fit in than stand out.  Overall, it is necssary for our students to know that they are allowed to have their own opinions and to know that whether they are a leader or a follower, that their beliefs are equally as important as anyone else's.