W.E.B. Du Bois

Ignorance vs. The United States

Who was W.E.B Du Bois?

William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was an American sociologist, socialist, historian, civil rights activist, Pan-Africanist, author, writer, and editor.

Dubois attended Frisk University, a historically Black institution in Nashville, Tennessee from 1885-1888. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Frisk, he attended Harvard College from 1888-1890. He paid his was through three years of college at Harvard with money he earned from summer jobs, an inheritance, scholarships, and loans from friends. In 1890, Du Bois received his second bachelor’s degree in History. The following year he received a scholarship to attend the Sociology graduate school at Harvard. He then went on to attend the University of Berlin for graduate work. After returning to Europe, Du Bois completed his graduate studies; becoming the first African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University.

In 1901, Du Bois became director of research and publications for the NAACP. He also began editing The Crisis, an official publication of the NAACP. By 1911 he attended the First Universal Races Congress in London and published his first novel: The Quest of the Silver Fleece. According to Wikipedia, two years later he wrote, and produced and directed a pageant for: The Star of Ethiopia, published The Negro: a general history of African Americans and the first of its kind in English.

Du Bois frequently promoted African Americans artistic creativity in his writings, and by the end of 1926, he stopped employing The Crisis to support the arts. Concerned that his position as editor would be eliminated, Du Bois resigned his job at The Crisis and accepted and academic position at Atlanta University. He also resigned from the NAACP because he revered his stance on segregations, stating that “separate but equal” was an acceptable goal for African Americans.

According to Wikipedia, while visiting Ghana in 1960, Du Bois spoke with its president about the creation of a new encyclopedia: Encyclopedia Africiana. In early 1961, at the age of 93, Du Bois and his wife traveled to Ghana to take on residence and work on the encyclopedia.

In early 1963, the United States refused to renew his passport, so he made a symbolic gesture and became a citizen of Ghana.

On August 27th, 1963, Du Bois passed away. He was given a state funeral on August 29th-30th, and was buried near the Western wall of the Christanborg Castle (now Osu Castle).

---

Books

*Kids*

• Education Is Power: A Snippet of the Life of W.E.B. Du Bois | Lenny Williams

• A Stranger in My Own House: The Story of W.E.B. Du Bois | Bonnie Hinman

• W.E.B. Du Bois: Civil Rights Activist, Author, Historian | Jim Whiting

• W.E.B. Du Bois: Crusader for Peace | Kathryn T. Cryan-Hicks

*Adults*

• W.E.B Du Bois on Sociology and the Black Community | W.E.B. Du Bois

• The Souls of Black Folk | W.E.B. Du Bois

• Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois: The Civil Rights Icons Who Became Bitter Rivals | Charles River Editors

---

Source(s)

1. "W.E.B. Du Bois." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 31 May 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._E._B._Du_Bois