The Souls of Black Folk

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The Souls of Black Folk Book Cover

The Souls of Black Folk is a work of American literature by W. E. B. Du Bois in 1903. It is an original work throughout the entire existence of social science and a foundation of African-American writing. The book contains a few expositions on race, some of which had been distributed before in The Atlantic Monthly. To build up this work, Du Bois drew from his own encounters as an African American in American culture. Outside of its remarkable pertinence in African-American history, The Souls of Black Folk additionally holds a significant spot in sociology as one of the early works in the field of sociology. [1]

Summary

This book contains fourteen essays where Du Bois provided keen insight into the social problems of the day. The content is significant because of its expansive applications for understanding the religious, economic, political, social, and cultural implications of a society precariously structured to earn and gauge the achievement of one group to the detriment of another. Moreover, Du Bois's observations and discoveries are immortal; a large number of his interests keep on plaguing today's society. Du Bois introduced a problem - how a religious, White America could be so settled in racism, on one hand, and how a deeply aggrieved Black America negotiated such terrain through the use of that same religion. [2]

Controversy

The author eloquently informed the reader of a variety of challenges faced by Black people as a result of inequities in every societal arena. Moreover, he dove into their spiritual psyche to show an indomitable spirit. The strength of the work also lies in Du Bois's ability to systematically and critically assess flaws in White society and the resulting limitations in Black society. Despite the fact that he obviously highlighted the tradition of racism as the essential offender that hindered progress for the Black masses, he had the option to soberly attest to ways in which an enormous fragment of the Black populace would not profit themselves of those current assets needed to improve their lot. At the core of the content was the introduction of a conflicted, dichotomized distinguish being Black and American, where the former identity labeled one an "issue" to be disregarded, felt sorry for, or stigmatized and the latter identity served as a constant reminder of a legacy of oppression and station to be esteemed but never reached. Du Bois also uutilized different divisions - the holy and common, subjective and quantitative examinations, and instances of persecution and freedom. [3] In this book Du Bois coins two terms that have developed into theoretical fields of study: “double consciousness” and “the Veil." “Double consciousness" is the belief that the African-Americans in the United States lives with two conflicting identities that cannot be entirely merged together. The first and most important to the black experience is the black identity. The second most important thing is the American identity, an identity into which the black man was born only because of the historical remnants of slavery. Working along with the idea of double consciousness is the veil, which portrays that African-Americans' lived experience occurs behind a cloak. While they can comprehend what life resembles for people outside of and within their group, it is difficult for white people to completely understand the black experience. The Souls of Black Folk provides the reader with a glimpse into life behind the veil. [4]

References

  1. The Souls of Black Folk. Wikipedia. Retrieved February 1 2021.
  2. Barnes, Sandra L. A Sociological Examination of W. E. B. Du Bois' The Souls of Black Folk. The North Star. 2003. Retrieved February 1 2021.
  3. Barnes, Sandra L. A Sociological Examination of W. E. B. Du Bois' The Souls of Black Folk. The North Star. 2003. Retrieved February 1 2021.
  4. The Souls of Black Folk Summary. Grade Saver. Retrieved February 1 2021.