In The Soul Of Black Folk Analysis

In the Soul of Black Folk, W.E.B. Du Bois wisely stated that “the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line.” In this essay, I will attempt to argue that Du Bois assertion is fundamentally correct, and that the problem of the twenty-first century remains the color line. To make this argument, I firstly will contend that although since the time of Du Bois, America has taken great strides in advancing equality under the law, it is also true that the legacy of slavery remains deep and strong. In fact, many related crimes to America’s original sin, including redlining, domestic terrorism and poll taxes have compounded over time. To highlight that the problem of the color line is still deeply relevant, so much so that it is unavoidable in our modern society, I will first discuss police brutality. I will specifically focus on how modern media coverage continues to serve as a mechanism to deny African Americans personhood. This will blend into a brief critique on black conservative theory initially championed by Booker T Washington, and still present today through figures

While in previous essays I have discussed how the growing economic infrastructure created by an unparalleled growth of the prison system, serves as a mechanism to reinforce racial stereotypes, I believe I may have previously underestimated the scope and size of this issue. The argument of the inherent danger of the prison industrial complex rests on three key points: Firstly, that drug enforcement is racially biased, secondly that private capital has become enmeshed within the incarceration industry and thirdly, that prison labor is becoming increasingly connected to the United States economy. I believe in the past essays I have accurately identified the salience of the first two points. I have, therefore, decided to attach these paragraphs to my current essay in