W. E. B Dubois Analysis

W.E.B DuBois was an African American intellectual and activist who advocated for the elevation of the black community through education. One of the key concepts in his theory of social organization was the talented tenth, the idea that higher education and influential positions in society should be given to the most intellectually gifted individuals. Although DuBois intends to communicate that intelligence is not determined by race, he disparages the black community in his explanations of the talented tenth and the position black people occupy in American society. DuBois’ pejorative language and generalization of black people as ignorant, uneducated, culturally unsophisticated, and lacking the motivation to move beyond their current social …show more content…
DuBois portrays African American culture as simple and barbaric when, in discussing slave culture and African religion, he states, “the transplanted African lived in a world animate with gods and devils, elves and witches; full of strange influences, - of Good to be implored, of Evil to be propitiated” (120). The use of the words “gods and devils and elves and witches,” in the description of African religion suggests that it is based on sorcery and the supernatural, things generally considered lesser or more basic than the moral philosophy which characterizes western religion. Moreover, “devils,” “witches” and to some degree “elves” carry a negative connotation, implying that African religion possesses evil and destructive elements. This idea of African religion as venerating evil is further reinforced by the phrase “Evil to be propitiated,” which suggests that African religion looks to achieve and find favor with Evil. Additionally, the use of such an intensely negative word as “Evil” portrays African, and by extension African American, culture very poorly. This depiction gives whites justification in asserting their authority over blacks in order to allegedly civilize them and or put them in their rightful place. DuBois goes on to vilify current African American culture and community …show more content…
DuBois’ use of adjectives such as “lewd,” “vicious,” “plodding,” “shiftless,” and possessing “sexual looseness” portray black culture as simple, uncivilized and destructive. Additionally, DuBois’ description of the personal qualities of black people following his characterization of the black population as “poor and ignorant” suggests that the population is that way because of black people’s personalities and the nature of black culture, rather than the systems of oppression put in place by white society. In other words, it is, at least partially, black people’s own fault that they are in this