{"id":710,"date":"2021-06-19T18:40:28","date_gmt":"2021-06-19T17:40:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.filippoboninsegna.com\/?p=710"},"modified":"2021-07-31T10:13:47","modified_gmt":"2021-07-31T09:13:47","slug":"souls-of-black-folk-book-summary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.filippoboninsegna.com\/souls-of-black-folk-book-summary\/","title":{"rendered":"The Souls of Black Folk"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Book by<\/em> <\/em><\/a>W.E.B. Du Bois<\/em><\/a>, 1903<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

William Edward Burghardt “W. E. B.” Du Bois (February 23, 1868 \u2013 August 27, 1963) was an American sociologist, historian, civil rights activist, Pan-Africanist, author and editor. Born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Du Bois grew up in a relatively tolerant and integrated community. After graduating from Harvard, where he was the first African American to earn a doctorate, he became a professor of history, sociology and economics at Atlanta University. Du Bois was one of the co-founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The Souls of Black Folk<\/em><\/a> <\/em>(1903) details the conditions of African Americans in the years after the end of slavery. By examining issues such as education, economic opportunities, and the interaction between Black and White Americans, Du Bois highlights the challenging legacy of slavery and the disempowering effects of the racism and segregation that followed.<\/em>” Blinkist<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Souls of Black Folk: Essays and Sketches is a 1903 work of American literature by W. E. B. Du Bois. It is a seminal work in the history of sociology and a cornerstone of African-American literature.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The book contains several essays on race, some of which had been published earlier in The Atlantic Monthly. To develop this work, Du Bois drew from his own experiences as an African American in American society. Outside of its notable relevance in African-American history, The Souls of Black Folk also holds an important place in social science as one of the early works in the field of sociology.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In The Souls of Black Folk, Du Bois used the term “double consciousness”, perhaps taken from Ralph Waldo Emerson (“The Transcendentalist” and “Fate”), applying it to the idea that black people must have two fields of vision at all times. They must be conscious of how they view themselves, as well as being conscious of how the world views them.\u201d <\/em>Amazon<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis landmark book is a founding work in the literature of black protest. W. E. B. Du Bois (1868\u20131963) played a key role in developing the strategy and program that dominated early 20th-century black protests 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.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.\u201d <\/em>Goodreads<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Ideas:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n