Who was the African American scholar that encouraged attendance at colleges to develop leadership skills?

The correct choice is W.E.B. Du Bois, who was a prominent African American scholar and civil rights activist. He was an advocate for higher education for African Americans and believed in the importance of developing leadership skills among the African American community. Du Bois emphasized the need for a "Talented Tenth," a leadership class that would be educated to uplift the entire race and advocate for civil rights. He was instrumental in founding the NAACP and focused on promoting liberal arts education as a means of fostering leaders.

In contrast, Booker T. Washington, while he also valued education, advocated for vocational training and practical skill development as a means for African Americans to improve their social and economic status. His approach was more focused on economic self-reliance rather than higher education for leadership development. Ida B. Wells engaged in anti-lynching activism and was a journalist and suffragist, while Marcus Garvey promoted a philosophy of Black nationalism and self-determination rather than direct engagement with the existing educational institutions in the same manner as Du Bois.