The Souls Of Black Folk By W. E. Du Bois

Great Essays
Mohammed Abdulkadir
Soc-215 Essay Summary
Extra Credit!
The Souls Of Black Folk By W.E. Du Bois
The Souls of Black Folk is a collection of essays of African American literature and also an important sociological history of the Black Americans, written by W.E.
Du Bois. In this essay Du Bois put forward an idea of, "The Color line problem as the problem in twentieth century." In this essay he talked about two terms that have now developed into theoretical fields of study “the veil and the double consciousness”. Double consciousness being the belief that African Americans in the United
States lives with two conflicting identities that cannot entirely be understood or merged together. The most important experience is the black identity and the
…show more content…
I held my face beside his little cheek, showed him the star–children and the twinkling lights as they began to flash, and stilled with an even–song the unvoiced terror of my life” (Du Bois, Ch11).
In the Twelfth “Of Alexander Crummell” is a story of Alexander Crummell, as
Du Bois called it the story of a human heart, the tale of a black boy who many long years ago began to struggle with life that he might know the world and know himself. “Of the Coming of John” the thirteenth, Du Bois tells the story of John Jones. A black man who decided to get an education and while he got the education to become successful, the existence of racism and prejudice destroys him. A glimpse of his experience as Du Bois noted was “He looked now for the first time sharply about him, and wondered he had seen so little before. He grew slowly to feel almost for the first time the Veil that lay between him and the white world; he first noticed now the oppression that had not seemed oppression before, differences that erstwhile seemed natural, restraints and slights that in his boyhood days had gone unnoticed or been greeted with a laugh. He felt angry now when men did not call him "Mister," he clenched his hands at the "Jim Crow" cars, and chafed at the color–line
…show more content…
“Of the Sorrow Songs” the fourteenth and final chapter in Du Bois Essay of the
Black Folks he explains and presents the sorrow songs of the olden days. A spiritual collection of the Negros, which provides some insights into the tragedy of the past, and the hopes he holds for the future. Du Bois said ever since he was a child these songs have stirred him strangely. “They came out of the South unknown to me, one by one, and yet at once I knew them as of me and of mine”.
Finally Du Bois concluded the whole Book with “The Afterthought” a delivery of a final message to the reader and a prayer. “Hear my cry, O God the Reader; vouchsafe that this my book fall not still–born into the world wilderness” (Du

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    D.E.B Dubois and Langston Hughes fight for Racial Equality Protest is a way of doing an act to be heard or acknowledged with something people disagree with. Throughout history many African American protested through literature. D.E.B Dubois and Langston Hughes are African American authors who have famous works that have gotten attention though the work of literature. These two authors have a lot of the same beliefs and has made a big impact of the African American culture.…

    • 1382 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    W.E.B DuBois was a prominent African-American activist during the twentieth century. During this time period, he fought for the end to racial segregation and desired to put a stop the undermining of black progress. Due to the continuous barriers that separated the black and white communities, DuBois was a huge advocate for the education of black people. Demonstrating persistence, DuBois continuously wrote his ideas in The Crisis and he also was a founder of the National Association Advancement of Colored People where he spoke against the political norms and questioned the intentions of white people. As a child, Du Bois was presented with harsh struggles such as poverty and having a single parent household with a mother…

    • 1024 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Among one of his earliest empirical studies in sociology was The Philadelphia Negro, published in 1899. In this research, Du Bois studies the urban lifestyle in America. His is a classical work of urban ethnography and urban ecology. Other historians identify the work as a definitive study of racial relations at that time. In his letter of credentials, Du Bois revealed that he intended to conduct research on the living conditions and social setting of the colored people that lived in the Seventh Ward.…

    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Analytical Book Review The book Black Reconstruction by W.E.B. Du Bois is one of the major books that reveal the post-Civil War US and the position of African Americans as well as their role in the war and changes that occurred to the position of African Americans. At the beginning of the book, Du Bois provides the description of the black worker, the white worker, and the planter. Steadily, the author shifts toward the revelation of burning problems in the US society and the intrinsic contradiction between workers and land owners, including former slave owners. The author uncovers the unbearable position of workers and reveals the role of African Americans in the possible transformation of the US society.…

    • 1517 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Washington and Du Bois both wrote during the 20th century when black people were just were beginning to try and fight for civil rights. They were two sides of the same coin when it came to decided what was the best approach for black people to begin this movement towards equality. Booker T. Washington believed that if we showed ourselves to be productive members of society and achieve economic independence that it would lead to true equality, so for right now we should set aside needs for civil rights. On the other hand W.E.B. Du Bois believed that it needed to happen much sooner than later and they both had their own reasons for why they thought they were right. To begin with Washington he gave several ideas as to why he believes patience…

    • 995 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Critiquing those who label the preservation of African American knowledge and culture as racist, he reiterates his commitment to the struggle for black liberation on the basis of equality, not assimilation that he believes would jeopardize the survival of African Americans—their cultural and historical forms of expression, and their distinct physical African features. Du Bois is concerned that the race would commit “racial suicide” by working narrowly toward integration and assimilation. The conservation of black traditions also serves as the vital connector to Africa, its newly independent nations and the people that are still struggling for their liberation. Addressing his audience during the “Year of Africa,” Du Bois shifts his focus to…

    • 941 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was an extremely influential African-American leader during the late 19th century. In 1909, he created the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People based on the principles of “education for blacks and equality”. Du bois believed that being educated about the issues of the black race would cease the mistreatment of its people. Both, Marcus Garvey and W.E.B Du Bois men advocated for Pan-Africanism, were activists for the rights of African-Americans, and believed that “the genuine issue in the world [was] white domination”, W.E.B Du Bois’s philosophy of Pan-Africanism differed from Marcus Garvey’s to a great extent. To elaborate, W.E.B Du Bois believed that Pan-Africanism “must become a part…

    • 997 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Plessy Vs Dubois

    • 1308 Words
    • 6 Pages

    W.E.B. Du Bois was an American civil rights activist, sociologist, and scholar who dealt with sociological problems and events that proposed the issue of seeking equality between blacks and whites and justice for the African American race. He fought to enhance education, occupation and most of all freedom for blacks during his reign. The influence of the Plessy vs. Ferguson case inspired him to discuss racism in America. This case involved Mr. Homer Plessy, a man who appeared to be white, but was one eighth black (and if you had any black blood in you, you were considered black) he bought a ticket for the Louisiana train, by him being black he was asked to remove himself from the “whites car only” which was a violation of that states separate…

    • 1308 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Du Bois’ twoness builds upon the conflicting duality of African-American self-consciousness. The African-American, wishing neither to Africanize America nor to Americanize his African heritage, meets at once a paralyzing physical barrier and a distorting lens in his stride toward bona fide societal embrace as an amalgam of both cultures. According to Du Bois, the most immediate effect of twoness is its psychological imposition of self-doubt and uncertainty. The predominantly white American environment of the early 20th century conferred upon society its own paradigm of societal assessment.…

    • 210 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    John Dewey and William E.B. Du Bois are the 20th century philosophers that imparted unique contributions to education and the American society as a whole. John Dewey (1859-1952) and Du Bois (1868-1967) grew up in a time that the U.S progressed from a predominantly rural and agricultural economy to an industrial and technological society. Also, they lived the changes brought by Civil War, World War I, World War II, and the Cold War with Soviet Union. Dewey progressive philosophy was to embedded school in the society and not isolate from it.…

    • 750 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    (McClurg) This book is still one of the most important parts of sociological and African American history. (GradeSaver) In this collection of essays, Du Bois talked about two terms that have developed into theoretical fields of study: “double consciousness” and “the Veil." “Double consciousness" is the belief that the African-American in the United States live with two conflicting identities that cannot be entirely merged together.…

    • 280 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    This work has made a significant impact on the sociology field today. However, during the time period it was not recognized due to the color of his skin. Bois describes through his essay two terms double consciousness and the veil. He uses the term double consciousness to illustrate the idea to the readers African Americans live with two identities which conflict with one another. Leaving them to feel as if they are living a double life.…

    • 1351 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “Of the Training of Black Folk .” The Souls of Black Folk , by W.E.B Du Bois , A…

    • 847 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Throughout much of African American literature there is a perpetual underlying theme; double consciousness. As if one were a comic book character with an alter ego, one has to put on a facade in order to be regarded as acceptable, civil, and not threatening. It is a concept among early African American literary people that explains a inner "twoness" and never having an individual unified identity because of this. It is thought to be expressed because of the oppression and disvaluement of blacks in a white dominated society. Du Bois explains that because of this, it is hard for blacks to be able to relate to having a black identity and having a American identity.…

    • 888 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    George Simmel and W. E. B." Du Bois are two brightest mind in sociology history. Their theories and books has change the way people look at each other. In this paper is going to discuss and compare how George Simmel’s the stranger is parallel to "W. E. B." Du Bois’s double consciousness. How each theory or term are similar and different. Both theorists talks about being an outsider one way or another.…

    • 1327 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays