W.E.B. Du Bois
1868-1863
Biography
W.E.B. Du Bois was born in Massachusetts, and he graduated from Fisk University in 1888. Du Bois wrote the book The Souls Of Black Folk based on his experiences of being a school teacher. Du Bois became the first African-American to earn a ph-D in the subject of History from Harvard University in 1985. He played an important role in the NAACP and became the director of research, and editor of the NAACP's magazine, THE CRISIS.
Major Contributions
Du Bois was the voice for African-Americans during from 1910-1930. Du Bois pointed out that it was necessary for a better education to result in development of the Leadership capacity among the most capable ten percent of African Americans, whom Du Bois nicknamed the "The Talented Tenth". in the 1930's Du Bois ended up in a dispute with the head of the NAACP, Walter White. Du Bois boxed himself with articles advocating segregation, supporting that black children will be granted a better education from black teachers. Du Bois left his position of editor of The Crisis and the NAACP in 1934. After leaving, Du Bois taught at Atlanta University for the next ten years. He also published his two major works, Black Reconstruction: An Essay Toward A History Of The Part Which Black Folk Played In The Attempt To Reconstruct Democracy In America (1860-1880) and Dusk Of Dawn. When Du Bois was 83 in 1951, he was prosecuted by the federal government because of his affliction with the Communist Party. Eventually, the case was thrown away by the judge. he officially joined the Communist Party in 1961 and moved to Ghana. More than a year later, he announced again his American Citizenship.