Most Popular Books by W. E. B. Du Bois

The Quest of the Silver Fleece is a novel by W. E. B. Du Bois, published in 1911. It tells the story of two African American siblings, Zora and Bles, living in rural Alabama in the early 1900s. Bles is a talented and educated musician who dreams of creating a successful symphony based on the folk music of the South. Zora, meanwhile, is a strong-willed and independent woman who wants to fight against the oppression and injustice that she sees all around her. When a wealthy white Northern businessman named Roger tries to buy Bles'' music and marry Zora, the siblings are forced to confront their own desires and values. Along the way, they encounter a variety of characters who represent different aspects of the African American experience, from a charismatic and radical preacher to a group of sharecroppers struggling to make ends meet. "The Quest of the Silver Fleece" is a powerful exploration of race, class, and identity in America and a passionate call to action for all those who believe in social justice and equality.

W. E. B. Du Bois was a public intellectual, sociologist, and activist on behalf of the African American community. He profoundly shaped black political culture in the United States through his founding role in the NAACP, as well as internationally through the Pan-African movement. Du Bois''s sociological and historical research on African-American communities and culture broke ground in many areas, including the history of the post-Civil War Reconstruction period. Du Bois was also a prolific author of novels, autobiographical accounts, innumerable editorials and journalistic pieces, and several works of history. First published in 1899 at the dawn of sociology, The Philadelphia Negro: A Social Study is a landmark in empirical sociological research. Du Bois was the first sociologist to document the living circumstances of urban Black Americans. The Philadelphia Negro provides a framework for studying black communities, and it has steadily grown in importance since its original publication. Today, it is an indispensable model for sociologists, historians, political scientists, anthropologists, educators, philosophers, and urban studies scholars. With a series introduction by editor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and an introduction by Lawrence Bobo, this edition is essential for anyone interested in African American history and sociology.

First published in 1903, this groundbreaking work is a cornerstone of African American literary history and a foundational text in the field of sociology. In these fourteen essays, W. E. B. Du Bois introduces and explores the concept of "double-consciousness"--a term he uses to describe the experience of living as an African American and having a "sense of always looking at one''s self through the eyes of others." Though an examination of Black life in post-Civil War America, The Souls of Black Folk has had a lasting impact on civil rights and the discussion of race in the United States. Revised edition: Previously published as The Souls of Black Folk, this edition of The Souls of Black Folk (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.

The Soul of Black Folk by W.E.B Du Bois

A thorough account of Africa’s history and its lasting influence on Western culture told from the perspective of the disparate descendants who inherited its legacy. W.E.B. Du Bois highlights the hidden stories that connect these varied communities. Originally published in 1915, The Negro presents an expansive analysis of the African diaspora over the course of history. W.E.B. Du Bois uses a critical eye to survey the early depictions of the continent, debunking stereotypical myths about its social structure. He addresses the generational impact of slavery as well as the capitalistic system that made it possible. It’s an honest look at the effects of white supremacy, classism and its place in modern society. From Ethiopia and Egypt to the West Indies and Latin America, Africa’s influence is undeniable. The Negro sheds light on the ignored history of the continent and its many descendants. It’s a vital piece of literature that acknowledges and celebrates its cultural power. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Negro is both modern and readable.

Initially published in 1920, Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil is a combination of essays that tackle the power dynamics of gender, race and religion. It’s a searing portrait of America influenced by Du Bois’ own personal experiences. Du Bois delivers a contemporary examination of African American life during the first half of the twentieth century. He addresses issues of segregation, employment disparity and misogyny, specifically toward Black women. Darkwater: Voices from within the Veil is one of his prominent autobiographies, detailing internal and external conflicts and their effect on the whole. He presents an overall indictment of systemic racism, oppression and exploitation of any kind. W.E.B. Du Bois was a celebrated figure who dedicated his life to uplifting and educating the African American community. Darkwater: Voices from within the Veil is a critical part of his enduring legacy. It broaches tough topics and presents a valid critique of American culture. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Darkwater: Voices from within the Veil is both modern and readable.

In "The Gift of Black Folk," W. E. B. Du Bois explores the profound contributions of African Americans to American culture and society. Written with eloquence and fervor, the work is both an insightful critique of racial injustices and a celebration of the resilience, creativity, and spiritual wealth of Black communities. Du Bois''s literary style weaves together historical analysis, sociological insight, and rich narrative, thereby contextualizing the African American experience within the larger tapestry of American history. The book eloquently advocates for the recognition of Black people not merely as victims of oppression, but as integral architects of the nation''s identity and progress. W. E. B. Du Bois, a prominent sociologist, historian, and civil rights activist, was instrumental in articulating the struggle for racial equality in 20th century America. His scholarly pursuits and personal experiences of racial discrimination deeply influenced him to write this work, aiming to reshape societal perceptions of Black contributions and to promote racial pride. Having co-founded the NAACP, Du Bois was a tireless advocate for the intellectual and cultural empowerment of African Americans. Readers interested in understanding the historical and cultural dimensions of race relations in the United States will find "The Gift of Black Folk" to be an invaluable resource. Du Bois''s masterful prose resonates with urgency and compassion, making his insights not only relevant for contemporary discourse but essential for anyone seeking to appreciate the rich heritage and ongoing legacy of Black Americans.

In "John Brown," W. E. B. Du Bois presents a compelling biography that merges historical narrative with philosophical introspection. The text delves into the life of the fierce abolitionist John Brown, situating his radical actions against the backdrop of America''s tumultuous struggle over slavery. Du Bois employs a lyrical style, interweaving vivid descriptions with profound reflections on morality, justice, and the complexities of race in America. Written during a period when the American socio-political landscape was fraught with racial tensions, the work serves both as a tribute to Brown''s revolutionary spirit and a critique of the inadequacies of his contemporaries. W. E. B. Du Bois, a prominent sociologist and civil rights activist, was profoundly influenced by his own experiences of racism and his relentless quest for racial equity. His scholarly background, particularly in social sciences, informed his exploration of Brown''s unwavering commitment to abolition. Du Bois''s engagement with historical figures like Brown reflects not only his admiration for their sacrifices but also his belief that profound change often arises from radical action. I highly recommend "John Brown" to readers seeking an insightful exploration of one of America''s most controversial figures in the fight against slavery. Du Bois''s masterful narrative not only provides historical context but also invites reflection on the enduring themes of justice and morality in contemporary society.

W. E. B. Du Bois was a public intellectual, sociologist, and activist on behalf of the African American community. He profoundly shaped black political culture in the United States through his founding role in the NAACP, as well as internationally through the Pan-African movement. DuBois''s sociological and historical research on African-American communities and culture broke ground in many areas, including the history of the post-Civil War Reconstruction period. Du Bois was also a prolific author of novels, autobiographical accounts, innumerable editorials and journalistic pieces, and several works of history. The Suppression of the African Slave Trade to the United States of America, 1638-1870, W. E. B. Du Bois''s groundbreaking monograph, recounts the moral failures and missed opportunities of the American Revolution and the consequences of compromising with slavery. As Du Bois''s first published work and doctoral dissertation, Suppression lays the groundwork for his early commitment to the study of the African American experience. At the time of its publication in 1896, Du Bois''s monograph was at the forefront of developments in historiography, embodying a new, empirical approach to history. Suppression is integral to understanding Du Bois''s early theories and his evolution into a leading scholar and activist. With a series introduction by editor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and an introduction by Saidiya Hartman, this edition is essential for anyone interested in African American history.

A strong plea for the higher education of the Negro, which those who are interested in the future of the freedmen cannot afford to ignore. Prof. DuBois produces ample evidence to prove conclusively the truth of his statement that "to attempt to establish any sort of a system of common and industrial school training, without first providing for the higher training of the very best teachers, is simply throwing your money to the winds."

The pioneering work in the study of the role of Black Americans during Reconstruction by the most influential Black intellectual of his time. This pioneering work was the first full-length study of the role black Americans played in the crucial period after the Civil War, when the slaves had been freed and the attempt was made to reconstruct American society. Hailed at the time, Black Reconstruction in America 1860–1880 has justly been called a classic.

The Negro Problem. The Negro Problem is a collection of essays by prominent Black American writers, such as W.E.B. Du Bois and Paul Laurence Dunbar, edited by Booker T. Washington, and published in 1903. It covered such topics as law, education, disenfranchisement, and Black Americans'' place in American society. Like much of Washington''s own work, the tone of the book was that Black Americans'' status in the U.S. was a matter of personal responsibility, but also confronted issues of legal and social racism. While this represented the point of view of the authors at the time, some - Du Bois, for example - would later revise their stance to consider the effects of systemic and institutional racism. Washington and Du Bois were again reunited in the 1907 collection, The Negro in the South.

This historical account of the transatlantic slave trade between Africa and the United States is filled with a wealth of records, details and analyses of its attempted suppression. The various moral, economic and religious arguments against slavery were clear from the outset of the practice in the early 16th century. The ownership of a human life as an economic commodity was decried from religious circles from the earliest days as an immoral affront to basic human dignity. However the practice of gaining lifelong labor in exchange only for a basic degree of care meant slavery persisted for centuries across the New World as a lucrative endeavor. The colonial United States would, from the early 17th century, receive many thousands of slaves from Africa. Many of the slaves transported were sent to work on plantations and farms which steadily spread across the warmer southern states of the nation. Others would do manual work on the docks, for instance moving goods in the fledgling trading colonies.

First published in 1896, The Suppression of the African Slave Trade remains the standard work on the efforts made in the United States, from 1638 to 1870, to limit and suppress the trade in slaves between Africa and America. In the foreword to this new edition, John Hope Franklin, James B. Duke Professor of History Emeritus, and professor of legal history at Duke University, explains the attitude toward slavery at the time Du Bois wrote his book, gives a brief background of Du Bois''s growth as an educator and writer, and examines the methods Du Bois used to write the book. Those doing work on th subject of American slavery will find this volume an important source book.

"Readers should be forewarned that the text contains racial and cultural references of the era in which it was written and may be deemed offensive by today''s standards."--

This landmark book is a founding work in the literature of black protest. W. E. B. Du Bois (1868-1963) played a key role in developing the strategy and program that dominated early 20th-century black protest in America. In this collection of essays, first published together in 1903, he eloquently affirms that it is beneath the dignity of a human being to beg for those rights that belong inherently to all mankind. He also charges that the strategy of accommodation to white supremacy advanced by Booker T. Washington, then the most influential black leader in America, would only serve to perpetuate black oppression. Publication of The Souls of Black Folk was a dramatic event that helped to polarize black leaders into two groups: the more conservative followers of Washington and the more radical supporters of aggressive protest. Its influence cannot be overstated. It is essential reading for everyone interested in African-American history and the struggle for civil rights in America.

Do you want to know how African Americans felt in the 20th century? If so, then this is a must read, this book was written by one of the most influential African Americans from the 20th century. The Souls of Black Folks is an essay fiction book written by W. E. B. Du Bois. This novel focuses on the struggles of African American post slavery in the early 20th century.The Souls of Black Folk is an essay novel written by W. E. B. Du Bois. It is a seminal work in the history of sociology and a cornerstone of African-American literature. The book contains several essays on race, some of which the magazine Atlantic Monthly had previously published.

These are the things of which men think, who live: of their own selves and the dwelling place of their fathers; of their neighbors; of work and service; of rule and reason and women and children; of Beauty and Death and War. To this thinking I have only to add a point of view: I have been in the world, but not of it. I have seen the human drama from a veiled corner, where all the outer tragedy and comedy have reproduced themselves in microcosm within. From this inner torment of souls the human scene without has interpreted itself to me in unusual and even illuminating ways. For this reason, and this alone, I venture to write again on themes on which great souls have already said greater words, in the hope that I may strike here and there a half-tone, newer even if slighter, up from the heart of my problem and the problems of my people.Between the sterner flights of logic, I have sought to set some little alightings of what may be poetry. They are tributes to Beauty, unworthy to stand alone; yet perversely, in my mind, now at the end, I know not whether I mean the Thought for the Fancy-or the Fancy for the Thought, or why the book trails off to playing, rather than standing strong on unanswering fact. But this is alway-is it not?-the Riddle of Life.Many of my words appear here transformed from other publications and I thank the Atlantic, the Independent, the Crisis, and the Journal of Race Development for letting me use them again.

"The problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color-line." The landmark book about being black in America.When first published in 1903, W.E.B. Du Bois''s The Souls of Black Folk struck like a thunderclap, quickly establishing itself as a work that wholly redefined the history of the black experience in America. It had a galvanizing effect on the conversation about race in America--and it remains both a touchstone in the literature of African America and a beacon in the fight for civil rights. Believing that one can know the "soul" of a race by knowing the souls of individuals, W. E. B. Du Bois combines history and stirring autobiography to reflect on the magnitude of American racism and to chart a path forward against oppression, and introduces the now-famous concepts of the color line, the veil, and double-consciousness.