This paper is concerned with, as the title already suggests, the idea of how W.E.B. Du Bois got inclined to the problem which is presenting itself throughout the history of mankind: the issue of animosity and oppression against certain ethnic groups within society. In W.E.B. Du Bois’ case that means in particular America’s situation at the end of the 19th century: The Civil War had been fought, the Northern States and so the Yankees had won over the Republican South, and the equalization of America’s black minority seemed established. Yet, how was this situation in the US to be changed in a few weeks, months or years that had instituted itself over more than two centuries? Exactly this question seemed most evident to those who were to be profiting from this new contribution to equality throughout the American nation.
Even if in his own life this was not as evident as in many others’, due to his home area being set in New England rather than in the much more hostile South, he still could feel some sort of inferiority of his family towards other citizens of his home town and had notions of people’s differences other than just the color of their skin. W.E.B. Du Bois can be seen as an icon in the course of the fight that had been fought, and in some ways is still being fought today, for the political and social emancipation of the black minority in America. Thus, the importance of his person and his lifelong crusade for equality and social improvements does not have to be questioned.
It seems interesting that despite growing up in the rather “enlightened” environment and society of Great Barrington in terms of race relation and respecting one another disregarding any differences in color, Du Bois was able to evolve as a fighter for the emancipation of his black people in America in such an intense and profound way. Therefore, it appears somewhat contradictory and paradox that in the course of his life and work, as he became more of an international figure, Du Bois was accepted less and less by his contemporaries at home. When he left America to become a citizen of Ghana in 1961, however, he did not do so as a rejection of his countrymen: Returning to the land of his forefathers marked a resolution of many conflicts with which Du Bois had struggled all his life.
His mature vision was a reconciliation of the “sense of double consciousness” or the “two warring ideals” of being both black and an American that he had written about fifty years earlier...
Table of Contents
Introduction
Unaware, Yet Not Ignorant – Du Bois’ Early Childhood
On the Way to Consciousness – Du Bois’ High School Years
Educational Interlude – Du Bois’ Studies at Fisk University
Among America’s Elite – Du Bois’ Studies at Harvard University
Years of Apprenticeship – Du Bois’ German Venture
Distanced, Then Activated – Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the life of W.E.B. Du Bois, focusing on how he developed his profound awareness of the race issue and his eventual emergence as a leader in the struggle for equality and social justice for African Americans.
- The impact of Du Bois' early upbringing in New England on his understanding of social and racial identity.
- The influence of higher education at Fisk and Harvard Universities on his intellectual development.
- The role of his formative years and studies in Europe in shaping his philosophical and scientific approach.
- The transition from academic distance to active political engagement in American society.
Excerpt from the Book
Years of Apprenticeship – Du Bois’ German Venture
Graduating from Harvard in 1892, he won a fellowship from the Slater Fund, which was a fund instituted for Negroes to advance in their formal education. As at Fisk and Harvard, while in Berlin in 1892 until 1894 Du Bois spent much of his time alone, reflecting upon the world and his possible contribution to changing it. In other words, temporarily relieved from the crucible of American racism, the years at the years in Europe gave him a chance to think objectively about the Negro’s status and his own relation to it. Many of these reflections were entered in his diary. One particularly significant entry he made on his twenty fifth birthday. A stream of conscious consideration upon his life tells much about mental processes, which combined imagination, poetic and courageous leaps and intellectual rigor.
Accordingly, he declared in his diary: “The hot dark blood of a black forefather is beating at my heart, and I know that I am either a genius or a fool. O I wonder what I am – I wonder what the world is – I wonder if life is worth the Sturm. [...] I do know: be the Truth what it may I will seek it on the pure assumption that it is worth seeking – and Heaven nor Hell, God nor Devil shall turn me from my purpose till I die. [...] There is a grandeur in the very hopelessness of such a life – Life? And is life all?” Eventually, he concluded “I therefore take the world that the Unknown lay in my hands and work for the rise of the Negro people, taking for granted that their best development means the best development of the world.”
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This section introduces the core research focus on how W.E.B. Du Bois became inclined toward the problem of racial oppression throughout his life and career.
Unaware, Yet Not Ignorant – Du Bois’ Early Childhood: This chapter covers his upbringing in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, noting his early realization of social differences despite a relatively sheltered childhood.
On the Way to Consciousness – Du Bois’ High School Years: This chapter highlights the influence of his teachers and community members during high school, which fostered his academic ambitions and sense of social awareness.
Educational Interlude – Du Bois’ Studies at Fisk University: This chapter details his time in Nashville, where he first encountered a wider black community and the realities of the segregated South.
Among the Elite – Du Bois’ Studies at Harvard University: This chapter examines his challenging years at Harvard, his formation of a "double consciousness," and his initial academic success.
Years of Apprenticeship – Du Bois’ German Venture: This chapter discusses his time in Europe, which offered him a new perspective on race and deepened his intellectual foundations in sociology and history.
Distanced, Then Activated – Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes his evolution from an academic researcher to an active, passionate champion for the political and social rights of African Americans.
Keywords
W.E.B. Du Bois, Race Issue, African American, Social Equality, Double Consciousness, Fisk University, Harvard University, Sociology, Racial Oppression, Reconstruction, Education, Marxism, Identity, Political Engagement, Emancipation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this work primarily about?
The work investigates the formative life experiences, education, and intellectual development that led W.E.B. Du Bois to dedicate his life to addressing racial oppression and the struggle for equality in America.
What are the central themes discussed in the text?
The text focuses on the influence of environment, education, race relations, identity formation, and the transition from academic theory to political activism.
What is the primary objective of this study?
The primary goal is to provide a biographical analysis of how Du Bois encountered the "problem of differentness" and was subsequently driven to help resolve the race issue in the United States.
Which scientific methodology does the paper emphasize?
The paper highlights how Du Bois utilized empirical research, sociology, and historical methodology to verify the social origins of inequality rather than relying on common prejudices of his time.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body chronicles his childhood in New England, his education at Fisk and Harvard, his intellectual apprenticeship in Europe, and his eventual pivot toward active leadership in the NAACP.
What keywords characterize the research?
The research is characterized by terms such as race identity, social mobility, intellectual development, double consciousness, and institutional racism.
How did Du Bois' time at Fisk University influence his identity?
His experience at Fisk was pivotal as it introduced him to the broader African American community and helped clarify his sense of identity and mission to elevate the Negro race.
Why did Du Bois struggle with the concept of "Two-ness"?
He struggled with the duality of being both black and American in a society that treated these two identities as conflicting, eventually working to resolve this inner dichotomy through his life's work.
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- Matthias Groß (Autor:in), 2004, The Emergence of the Race Issue in W.E.B. Du Bois' Life, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/53066
