ipl-logo

Who Is W. E. B Du Bois A Scholar Activist

895 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: W. e. b. du bois: scholar and activist

Ayan Patel
The Scholar Activist
There were many African American activists during the twentieth century. One prominent activist included W. E. B Du Bois. He was born on February 23rd, 1868 (Feuerherd). W. E. B Du Bois was a prominent scholar who spoke out on racism, inequality, and discrimination of African Americans during the early 1900s. He was the "first African American to receive a doctorate at Harvard, and went on to become a professor of history, sociology, and economics at Atlanta University" (Feuerherd). W. E. B Du Bois was also a founding member and leader of the NAACP (NAACP). Du Bois "fought discrimination and racism…and contributed to debates about race, politics and history…through his writings and speeches" (America's Library). …show more content…

E. B Du Bois was a "leading thinker on race" and "prominent intellectual" who became known for his essays and books on the struggles of Black Americans (NAACP). His written works highlighted how African Americans were treated in post-slavery America. One example is his exposure of lynching. In 1910, Du Bois became the editor of the monthly magazine, The Crisis (NAACP). As Du Bois was the editor, he inserted charts of all the lynchings that occurred in the nearby cities (NAACP). By doing this, he influenced people to sympathize for the lynching victims and helped "push for legislation …to outlaw the cruel extrajudicial killings" (NAACP). There were many articles and books that Du Bois wrote to help end discrimination against the African American community. One of the most notable collection of essays is The Souls of Black Folk. In these essays, Du Bois used the term "double consciousness" as it related to the Black experience during the 1900s (NAACP). The term referred to the "sense of always looking at oneself through the eyes of others" which in this case was through the eyes of racism of that time (Pittman). These essays highlighted the discrimination and struggles that Black Americans were continuing to face even after the end of slavery. Over his career, Du Bois wrote many books and essays that helped to influence the civil rights movement of the twentieth

Show More
Related
261 Words | 2 Pages

Du Bois uses many different ways to target the reader. His main purpose in “Of Our Spiritual Strivings”, is to educate mistreated Africans American about demanding equality and rights that were promised to them around the time of the Emancipation Proclamation. Du Bois uses different types of literary devices (mostly personifications) and firsthand accounts stories about injustice to make his point to the reader. For example, Du Bois states, “Will America be poorer if she replaces her brutal dyspeptic blundering with light-hearted but determined Negro humility?” (Du Bois 297).

Read More
944 Words | 4 Pages

In the analysis of the abundance of wonderful leaders who made a difference in the African American community since emancipation, W.E.B Du Bois made a special impact to advance the world. From founding the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, to his influential book The Souls of Black Folk, he always found an accurate yet abstract way of verbalizing the strives of African Americans as well as making platforms for them to be known. Although he had less power than most of the bigger named African American leaders of his time, W.E.B Dubois’ overweighing strengths verses weaknesses, accurate and creative analogies, leadership style, and the successful foundations he stood for demonstrates his ability to be both realistic and accurate in his assessment since emancipation. Though Du Bois did have a beneficial impact

Read More
807 Words | 4 Pages

Thesis statement: The two great leaders in the black community debating about the issues that face the Negro race and Du Bois gave a compelling argument by using pathos, logos and ethos to create an essay that will appear to all readers. Outline: This essay will showcase the contradicting philosophies between W.E.B Du Bois and Booker T. Washington. Also, paying close attention to the different types of leadership between the two historic leaders in the black community. Both W.E.B Du Bois and Booker T. Washington contributed to and helped shape the future of African Americans.

Read More
821 Words | 4 Pages

Achieving African American Equality Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Du Bois were two of the most influential advocates for African American equality during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries (Blatty, 1). Although both men ultimately had the same goal, their methods for achieving African American equality were remarkably different. To begin, the men had conflicting ideas about what constituted as African American equality. Booker T. Washington argued that the accumulation of wealth and the ability to prove that Blacks were productive members of society would be the mark of true equality for African Americans (Painter, 155).

Read More
871 Words | 4 Pages

DuBois’s first post-dissertation book, The Philadelphia Negro, released in 1899, determined that housing and employment discrimination were the principal barriers to racial equality and black prosperity in the urban North. (blackpast.org/aah/dubois-william-edward-burghardt-1868-1963) In his written book, The Souls of Black Folks, released in 1903, he argued for "manly" and "ceaseless agitation and insistent demand for equality” which demanded a education of equality for blacks that’s not inferior to whites. (W. E. B. Du Bois and the NAACP, Virginia Historical Society) Du Bois promoted the idea of self improvement, without giving up full citizenship rights, which impacted the general well being of African American and visualized the idea of having an exclusive group of all black, educated leaders called “The

Read More
491 Words | 2 Pages

He became an author by, Du Bois published his landmark study the first case study of an African-American community. The Philadelphia Negro: A Social Study (1899), marking the beginning of his expansive writing

Read More
380 Words | 2 Pages

W.E.B DuBois was a man who wanted equality between both races. His ideas about having all blacks being educated and joining in things involving the government was to give them a better opportunity. His ideas still go on today among people of color because we all want the similar things he wanted. He believed the country's problem was the separation between white and blacks. To this day that is still a major problem.

Read More
995 Words | 4 Pages

was educated at Harvard University and other top schools, Du Bois studied with some of the most important social thinkers of his time (history.com). W.E.B. did not grow up during the time of slavery so he has different experiences than Booker T. this is part of the reason why they have such differing opinions. “He earned fame for the publication of such works as Souls of Black Folk (1903), and was a founding officer of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and editor of its magazine” (history.com). The NAACP is an organization that supports minority races and works towards racial equality and equal rights. The NAACP is an organization that is still here today.

Read More
496 Words | 2 Pages

from Harvard. Also was a renowned scholar, activist, and writer. His influential book,”The Souls of Black Folk,” explored the African American experience. He wrote extensively and was the best-known spokesperson for African American rights during the first half of the 20th century. Du Bois co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909.

Read More
580 Words | 3 Pages

He was strongly in disagreement with Washington and his philosophy. His philosophy was more aggressive than Washington’s, he wanted equality right away. Du Bois believed in higher learning and greater education. He believed african americans could become the whites equal by acquiring occupations that require a college degree. Jobs like lawyers, doctors, teacher, scientist, etc.

Read More
49 Words | 1 Pages

W.E.B. DuBois founded the NAACP, which advocated for an opposition against racism and segregation towards the black community. His plan to provide blacks with an equal footing in society was based upon receiving education, which in turn he hoped would bring about respect and equality from all, especially whites.

Read More
662 Words | 3 Pages

Du Bois went on to do research on African Americans in Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania. This research led to his publication of "The Philadelphia Negro" in 1899. The aim of this book was to bring the social issues which African Americans face to light as well as to dispel myths about African Americans. In the beginning of Du Bois' life he had hope in America and that the racial problems that they face could be solved peacefully. However Du Bois lost this hope as time went on and he lost his faith in capitalism and moved toward communism.

Read More
620 Words | 3 Pages

The early twentieth century was not a pleasant time for African Americans; they didn’t have many rights and they lost any gain that they made from their huge positive influence in the Civil War. Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois both saw all the issues that African Americans faced, and they both had the same goal: success for blacks in America. Washington’s approach was to accept the social inequality but in return get equal economics as whites. Du Bois wanted a more aggressive approach and wanted both social and economic equality, and he was hostile towards Washington because he didn’t demand social equality. In the time period, African Americans who demanded their social and economic rights sided with Du Bois because he would provide them the leadership to gain rights equal to whites.

Read More
755 Words | 4 Pages

The late 19th century African Americans in the New South are outraged at the event of an armed gang of white Democrats invading wilmington and killing between 6 and 100 African Americans. African Americans now have options on how to handle this race related issue. One of the two options that practically split African Americans into two groups was the idea of working for the progression of African Americans through the system, which was the stance taken by Booker T. Washington. The other option was the Idea of fighting the system by changing the law, which was the stance taken by W.E.B. Du Bois. By the early 20th century Booker T. Washington and W.E.B.Du Bois were the two most influential African American men in the country.

Read More
1182 Words | 5 Pages

Another issue that the NAACP and Dubois had was with lynching. Through “The Crisis”, Dubois was able to expose many of the horrors of lynching and have it out there for the general public. Through his many anti-lynching pieces, Dubois was able to garner a significant amount of support against lynching and this eventually led to an anti-lynching law. This was a huge win for all African Americans. In addition, Dubois also helped African Americans culturally through his pieces promoting black creativity.

Read More

More about Who Is W. E. B Du Bois A Scholar Activist

Related Topics

Open Document