The Souls Of Black Folk: W.E.B. Du Bois' Call To Action

In 1903, W.E.B. Du Bois published The Souls of Black Folk, a collection of essays on Black life and race relations in the United States. The book is considered a seminal work in African American literature and sociology. Du Bois drew from his own experiences as an African American to develop this groundbreaking work.

In The Souls of Black Folk, Du Bois introduces the concept of double-consciousness, the idea that Black people must be conscious of how they view themselves and how the world views them. He also explores the philosophical and spiritual dimensions of Black people's souls, as well as the feelings that intimately bind Black people together.

Du Bois was concerned with the growing divisiveness and damage that racism was causing in the United States. He advocated for civil rights and voting rights, arguing that through work, culture, and liberty, the dual heritage of African Americans could be melded into a force for positive social and cultural change.

To critique the work of Booker T. Washington

In "The Souls of Black Folk", W.E.B. Du Bois critiques the work and philosophy of Booker T. Washington, the era's leading Black American spokesperson and educator. Du Bois disagreed with Washington's political program, which argued that economic self-sufficiency and property acquisition were more important to Black progress than civil rights and voting rights.

Du Bois saw Washington's approach as counterproductive to the long-term progress of Black Americans. He believed that Washington's acceptance of segregation and his emphasis on material progress represented an "old attitude of adjustment and submission". Du Bois writes:

> "Mr. Washington represents in Negro thought the old attitude of adjustment and submission; but adjustment at such a peculiar time as to make his programme unique. This is an age of unusual economic development, and Mr. Washington’s programme naturally takes an economic cast, becoming a gospel of Work and Money to such an extent as apparently almost completely to overshadow the higher aims of life."

Du Bois further argues that Washington's philosophy of self-help, which urged Black Americans to temporarily accept racial discrimination and focus on economic gain, would ultimately doom them to indefinite subservience to whites. He writes:

> "Mr. Washington distinctly asks that black people give up, at least for the present, three things, - First, political power, Second, insistence on civil rights, Third, higher education of Negro youth...."

Du Bois also disagreed with Washington's belief that racial discrimination would wither away with economic gain, arguing instead that social change could only be achieved through agitation and protest. He felt that Washington's approach downplayed the role of the nation in addressing the "Negro problem", shifting the burden of change onto the shoulders of Black people themselves.

Du Bois's critique of Washington's work and philosophy was a memorable aspect of "The Souls of Black Folk", highlighting his more radical approach to civil rights activism and his commitment to immediate political and legal action to win equal citizenship and full civic membership for Black Americans.

To explore the concept of double-consciousness

In his 1903 book, *The Souls of Black Folk*, W.E.B. Du Bois introduced the term "double-consciousness" to describe the "peculiar sensation" of being Black in a white-dominated society. This concept is central to the book's exploration of Black life and race relations in the United States at the turn of the 20th century.

Du Bois describes double-consciousness as a sense of "always looking at one's self through the eyes of others". It is a feeling of "twoness", where one's American and Negro identities are in conflict, resulting in "two unreconciled strivings" and "two warring ideals in one dark body". This internal conflict is not just episodic but persistent, shaping the history of the American Negro as a "longing to attain self-conscious manhood" and merge the "double self into a better and truer self".

Du Bois argues that this dual heritage can be a force for positive social and cultural change in the United States. He advocates for civil rights and voting rights as essential for African American progress. Through "work, culture, and liberty", Du Bois believes that African Americans can become "co-workers in the kingdom of culture", escaping both death and isolation while utilising their best powers.

Du Bois's concept of double-consciousness has had a significant impact on subsequent writers and continues to be used by commentators on race and literature. It is a key aspect of his seminal work, providing insight into the unique experience of being Black in America at the time.

To examine the roots of African American religious thought

In his 1903 book, *The Souls of Black Folk*, W.E.B. Du Bois examines the roots of African American religious thought, which he describes as "the most beautiful expression of human experience born this side of the seas".

Du Bois traces the history of African American religion from its origins in African society, through its development during slavery, to the formation of the Baptist and Methodist churches. He argues that the study of African American religion is "not only a vital part of the history of the Negro in America, but no uninteresting part of American history".

Du Bois highlights the ways in which African religious beliefs were initially disguised by a "thin veneer of Christianity" during the slave trade, which allowed for the retention of elements of the "soul" of their motherland. He asserts that enslaved African people retained elements of their native beliefs, particularly in the area of religion, and that these beliefs were combined with elements of Western Christianity to create a new form of worship.

Du Bois describes the current state of the black Christian church in the Reconstruction and Post-Reconstruction periods as the "social, intellectual, and economic centre" of African American life. He writes that the church often stands as a "conserver of morals, a strengthener of family life, and the final authority on what is Good and Right". He gives credit to the African American Christian Church as being a place of refuge and strength for black souls, a place for the true expression of a people's "sorrow, despair, and hope".

Du Bois also acknowledges the influence of "double-consciousness" on African American religion in the twentieth century. He writes that for those who blame the failure of the black church to address social, political, and economic inequities, their religion has become "a complaint and a curse, a wail rather than a hope, a sneer rather than a faith". He posits that, for others, religion continues to be "wedded to ideals remote, whimsical, and perhaps impossible of realization", with little attention paid to the realities of everyday life.

Du Bois concludes that the true souls of black folks are located in all things, sacred and secular, which foster the perseverance and continuity of a distinctly African American cultural community. He cites the "sorrow songs", or African American spirituals, as an example of this. These songs, he writes, are not mere words set to music, but rather poetry, folklore, history, theology, celebration, sorrow, and soul. They are a microcosm of the achievements of African descendants in America, and a reflection of the secondary definition of "soul"—those emotions of community and cohesion that thrive in the often unexamined corners of black life.

To assess community in African American culture

The Souls of Black Folk is a seminal work in African American literature and an American classic. In this work, Du Bois proposes that "the problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color-line." His concepts of life behind the veil of race and the resulting "double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, have become touchstones for thinking about race in America. In addition to these enduring concepts, Souls offers an assessment of the progress of the race, the obstacles to that progress, and the possibilities for future progress as the nation entered the twentieth century.

Du Bois examines the years immediately following the Civil War and, in particular, the Freedmen's Bureau's role in Reconstruction. The Bureau's failures were due not only to southern opposition and "national neglect, but also to mismanagement and courts that were biased "in favor of black litigants." The Bureau did have successes as well, and its most important contribution to progress was the founding of African American schools. Since the end of Reconstruction in 1876, Du Bois claims that the most significant event in African American history has been the rise of the educator, Booker T. Washington, to the role of spokesman for the race. Du Bois argues that Washington's approach to race relations is counterproductive to the long-term progress of the race. Washington's acceptance of segregation and his emphasis on material progress represent an "old attitude of adjustment and submission." Du Bois asserts that this policy has damaged African Americans by contributing to the loss of the vote, the loss of civil status, and the loss of aid for institutions of higher education. Du Bois insists that "the right to vote," "civic equality," and "the education of youth according to ability" are essential for African American progress.

To advocate for civil rights and voting rights

In his seminal work, "The Souls of Black Folk", W.E.B. Du Bois passionately advocates for civil rights and voting rights for African Americans, presenting a forceful counterargument to the prevailing philosophy of racial accommodation espoused by Booker T. Washington, the era's leading Black American spokesperson. Du Bois believed that Washington's approach, which urged Black Americans to temporarily accept racial discrimination and focus on economic advancement, would perpetuate Black subservience to whites and hinder long-term progress.

Du Bois's advocacy for civil and voting rights was rooted in his conviction that social change could only be achieved through agitation and protest, rather than passive acceptance. He recognised the pervasive racism of his time, marked by lynchings, Jim Crow segregation, and race riots. In this environment, he argued that securing voting rights and civil rights was essential for Black empowerment and progress. Du Bois emphasised the importance of work, culture, and liberty in unifying African Americans' dual heritage and driving positive social and cultural change.

Du Bois criticised Washington's philosophy of racial accommodation, arguing that it reinforced the notion of Black inferiority. He believed that by prioritising economic advancement over civil and voting rights, Washington's approach would lead to the loss of the vote, the loss of civil status, and hinder support for higher education. Du Bois emphasised the need for immediate political and legal action to secure the constitutional rights guaranteed by the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, including the right to vote.

Du Bois' work provided a foundation for the emerging civil rights movement, charting a political and legal path towards equal citizenship and full civic membership, regardless of race. He helped establish the Niagara Movement and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), institutions that played pivotal roles in the fight for civil rights. Through his writing and activism, Du Bois left an enduring legacy, shaping the discourse on race and inspiring future generations of writers and activists.

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