Educator Essayist Journalist Scholar Social critic Activist

“The problem of the 20th century is the problem of the color line—the relation of the darker to the lighter races of men in Asia and Africa, in America and the islands of the sea”.

(Du Bois 1903/1989:13)

JULY 9, 1868 14th Amendment granted due process and equal protection under the law to African Americans.

JUNE 12, 1963Mississippi's NAACP field secretary, 37-year-old Medgar Evers, was murdered outside his home in Jackson, Miss. Byron De La Beckwith was tried twice in 1964, both trials resulting in hung juries. Thirty years later, he was convicted of murdering Evers.

The Philadelphia Negro (1899)

The Souls of Black Folk (1903)

The Souls of White Folk (1920)

Born: Great Barrington, MA

By age 16, formulated basic premise of social & political philosophy:

Black Americans must organize as race-conscious bloc to win &

exercise freedom

First black graduate in his high school

Community leaders (including high school principal & prominent pastors) paid for Du Bois to attend Fisk University•Historically black school in Nashville, TN

B.A. –Fisk University M.A.—Harvard University Study-abroad at Un. of Berlin

Ph.D.—Harvard University

The Souls of Black Folk, published in 1903

Most famous book

One of most important books on race and class written in U. S.

From 1940s until his death in 1963--Wrote eloquently and provocatively about the twin evils of colonialism and imperialism

Criticized black community:

Black parents: For not reinforcing the value of formal education

Black Church: For not combating social corruption and moral decay

The Talented Tenth

Burden for winning freedom and justice for African Americans on the shoulders of:

Best prepared, Educationally and Economically

Motivation for creation of racial differences was

economic: Racial discrimination

preceded prejudice Prejudice created to justify

treatment Discrimination -> Prejudice

Economic & political control of government by big business

Developed during 1870s in the US

Du Bois’ Question: Who should benefit from

capitalism? Who should have the power?

Good: Increased production & distribution of goods & services

Bad: Created opportunities for more selfishness & corruption

A planned economy Elected democratic government

People serve the state State also serves the people

Political domination of one country by another (Ex. Britain, France, Portugal,

Germany)

The use of weaker country's resources to

strengthen and enrich stronger country

Colonization by powerful country

Created racism to justify colonialism & exploitation

Creating an inferior race justified the treatment to create profits

Colonizing nations used the strategy of “divide and

conquer” Encouraged hatred between Groups: Moslems & Hindus Arabs & Jews Protestants & Catholics

Connected with colonialism

Political domination costly to colonial power (i.e., military)

Capitalists’ domination of imperial power & the colonies produced huge profits

(Imperialist capitalism)

War is central to imperialist capitalism

Profit from war

Profit from the preparation for war

Basic element in social organization

Societies based on some group’s oppression of other groups

3 main responses (by the oppressed) to oppression

1. Feelings of revolt & revenge

2. Attempts to adjust

3. Attempts at self-development

“Manure theory of social organization”

Lower classes: Onlycapable of most inhuman &inhumane work

“Manure Theory” foundation of a Theory of Exclusion

“Progress” based on excluding more & more people from benefits of culture

Result: Only a few remain at top

Changeable

Not inherently good or bad

Most prejudices learned & can be changed

Change comes through reason & education

Major Themes of Modern Social Life•Race & Racism

•Gender & Sexism

•Democracy

•Equality