W. E. B. DuBois

African-American studies as an interdisciplinary subject dates back to the 1960’s. The general ignorance of the culture and social life of African Americans social sciences and humanities have benefitted significantly since the 1960’s, by the new perspectives drawn from analysis of social, cultural, political and historical aspects of African Americans. W.E B Du Bois provided much needed evidence to refute the speculative cultural and intellectual inferiority claims of black people by performing studies that were renowned for its time. The contribution to sociology theories of African American development in Hidden Colors and W.E.B Du Bois considers policy and public sociology, service learning, and the exploitation of methodological triangulation.

Furthermore, Booker T. Washington did not share strategies with Du Bois on one side, and the strategies of W. E. B. Du Bois did not share with Washington. Booker mostly focused on education and wanted African Americans to fight for what they’re worth, to work hard and become someone important in the community. On the other hand, Washington fought for equality. He wanted the White Americans to respect the blacks. His point view was that the community should be led by the most talented. Basically, he wanted blacks and

William Edward Burkhardt DuBois, whom we all know as W.E.B. DuBois; was a novelist, public speaker, poet, editor, author, leader, teacher, scholar, and romantic. He graduated from high school at the age of 16, and was selected as the valedictorian, being that he was the only black in his graduating class of 12. He was orphaned shortly after his graduation and was forced to fund his own college education. He was a pioneer in black political thoughts and known by many as a main figure in the history of African-American politics. W.E.B. DuBois attended Fisk University, where he was awarded a scholarship after he graduated high school. Fisk University was located in Nashville, Tennessee. While attending this University, this is where he saw

W. E. Burghardt Du Bois was an African American activist, historian and sociologist who was born in Massachusetts (DuBois Bibliography Pg.2) He was educated at Fisk University and in Germany and subsequently received his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1895. (DuBois Bibliography Pg.1) He worked at Atlanta University and the NAACP where he was the editor of its magazine. DuBois has a very different idea on how to advance the African American community. DuBois believes that “The Negro race, like all races, is going to be saved by its exceptional men.” (DuBois Pg.1) DuBois believes that to advance the Black agenda,

W.E.B. Du Bois was a man with impressive accomplishments and achievements. He was the first ever African American to earn a PhD from Harvard University and he

Born to poverty on February 23, 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Du Bois was of French Huguenot, Dutch, and Afro-American ancestry. He graduated from high school in 1884 as a penniless orphan. However, upon the insistence of the principal of his school, who recognized Du Bois' intelligence and talent, he sought a college education. Through working part-time and with a scholarship donated by members of his church, Du Bois attended Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee (Reed, 1997 & Logan, 1971). During his time at Fisk, Du Bois was exposed to racism and lynchings, as well as the scientific ideas of truth by way of empirical investigation and statistical methods. These experiences spurred his interest in the use of science and scholarship in the struggle for social justice. Du Bois realized that scientific inquiry could be a powerful tool in the quest to transform society and obtain

  Ironically, Du Bois himself experienced the existence of the color line. He not only recognized the color line, but the ways in which it was distinct from class- based inequality. Since he was the first African American to receive a Ph.

Despite having their own opinions on achieving their goal, they had many similarities. Du Bois and Washington communicated regularly to design legal strategies to fight injustice. They also arranged academic and professional conferences, authored essays in the same books, and had Du Bois head the National Negro Business League that the National Afro-American Council. Booker T. Washington and WEB Du Bois unremittingly articulated their opinions and stood for what they believed was right. Both men shared a few commonalities in ways such as how they were both highly educated and expressed strong opposition against segregation. Washington’s Up from Slavery, and Du Bois’s The Souls of Black Folk outline each of their views on segregation, and what can be done to end it.

W.E.B. Du Bois (1968-1963) was a huge contributor to sociology through the eyes and experience of an African-American scholar (Vissing, 2011). Du Bois was an author, activist and student of Black sociology. In his 1897 article, Strivings of the Negro People”, Du Bois introduced the term “double-consciousness”, a concept I believe to be just as relevant in today’s African-American communities. Double consciousness refers to what Du Bois considered an absence of “true self consciousness” (Du Bois, 1897) amongst Africans in America. In place of that absence, lies a dual awareness- awareness of one’s self combined with an awareness

Growing up Du Bois often played with the white kids in school, and he strived to be recognized for being more knowledgeable in all aspects than they were, however, he came to realize that it would never be possible. Through interactions with other black boys Du Bois was made aware of his limitations, nevertheless, he, like many black people fought to be optimistic in finding ways to take these opportunities that were so rightfully theirs. However, the question emerged of how could a person strive to be prosperous and have everything that the race he so greatly detest has, without being considered dishonorable by his own people? Many African Americans are brainwashed and fall under the misconception that having an education, a career, or even speaking proper, falls into the category of acting white. This ideology places a lot of stress on many successful black people, who growing up faced bullying and were described as a disgrace to their own race.

Few men have influenced the lives of African-Americans as much as William Edward Burghardt (W.E.B.) Du Bois is considered more of a history-maker than a historian(Aptheker, "The Historian"). Dr. Du Bois conducted the initial research on the black experience in the United States. Civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. have referred to Du Bois as a father of the Civil Rights Movement. Du Bois conducted the initial research on the black experience in the United States, and paved the way for the Pan-African and Black Power movements. This paper will describe his life, work, influence in the black community, and much publicized civil dispute with another black leader, Booker T. Washington.

African Americans during the 1900s lived lives full of uncertainty. They were no longer slaves, but still looked upon by many as inferior to the white race. However in this period of tension, there were men who sought to bring their race to new heights. One of these men was W.E.B Du Bois. Few have influenced the lives of African Americans in such a way as W.E.B Du Bois. The vision he had for African Americans was one that many found great hope in. He sought for the day that his race for finally have civil equality in every aspect of life.

Du Bois overriding emphasis as a black activist was solidarity. As an intellectual, he believed he had a special responsibility in promoting black unity, a belief that some people have interpreted as arrogance. In an 1897 article, The Conservation of the Races, Du Bois wrote, "For the development of Negro genius, only Negroes bound and welded together, Negroes inspired by one vast ideal, can work out in its fullness the great message we have for humanity." Before the Russian Revolution, he called blacks living in the United States, "the advanced guard of Negro people."

W.E.B. Du Bois is considered one of the top five people of the twentieth century. He is an intellectual, who is admired by both his supporters and adversaries. Du Bois, in his essay, tells his audience that he is not only a genius among blacks, but he is also a revered scholar of humankind. He is well educated among prestigious universities such as Fisk, Harvard, and Heidelberg, and is the first African American to earn a Ph.D. degree from Harvard University. Mr. Du Bois is not a meager intellectual, whose intelligence is measured by the capacity of his knowledge, but he also uses his knowledge to fight for the equality of his people. Among the different identities of Du Bois, he is also the founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). As a reader, one interprets that Du Bois' essay is an authentic narration of the life of African Americans. Du Bois uses context from his point of view as a free man; therefore, his words are less biased than his counterparts. He allows the readers to freely establish their own perspective on the problem of the color people by giving them the chance to see the lives of African Americans before the Civil War through Reconstruction. Du Bois also uses historical references, case studies, and personal storytelling examples to define the problem of the people of African heritage in the United States. The first chapters of The Souls of Black Folk contain historically relevant material,

W.E.B. Du Bois can be most simply characterized with the “who” element of the question of inequality. Much of his sociological and political writings concern the inclusion and consideration of African Americans and others of African and non-European descent in studies and discussions of the social world. More specifically, he is concerned with acknowledging differences in the experience and conditions of Whites versus non-Whites.