The Souls of Black Folk is a seminal work in the history of sociology and a foundational piece of African-American literature and holds an important station in social science as one of the early works in the field of sociology. It was written in 1903 by W. E. B. Du Bois, who drew on his own experiences as an African American in American society to address racial inequality, segregation, and black history in America.
In The Souls of Black Folk, Du Bois advocates for the right to vote, the right to a good education, and the right to be treated with equality and justice. He also coined the term "double consciousness," defined as a "sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul by the tape of a world." He encourages the black readers of that era to have two fields of vision at all times; they must be conscious of how they view themselves, as well as how the world views them.
Each chapter in The Souls of Black Folk begins with text from a poem, usually by a European poet, and the musical score of a spiritual song, which Du Bois describes in his foreword as "some echo of haunting melody from the only American music which welled up from black souls in the dark past".
This beautiful reprint of the original writings are unabridged and unedited, preserving The Souls of Black Folks for your reading pleasure. It will make a wonderful addition to your library of classic, sociology, and psychology literature. Enjoy!
Excerpt:
"Herein lie buried many things which if read with patience may show the strange meaning of being black here at the dawning of the Twentieth Century. This meaning is not without interest to you, Gentle Reader; for the problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color line. I pray you, then, receive my little book in all charity, studying my words with me, forgiving mistake and foible for sake of the faith and passion that is in me, and seeking the grain of truth hidden there."
Dimensions:
- Original 1903 Text
- Foundational Piece of African-American Literature
- Early Work in Sociology
- Dimensions: 6x9 inches
- Matte Cover
