Du Bois William Edward Burghardt Du Bois Essay

Du Bois

William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was a pioneer of sociology and a forerunner to civil rights activists later in the 20th century. DuBois used sociology as a tool or lens for viewing structural problems in the society, especially racism and racial inequality. W.E.B. DuBois earned his degree from Harvard University and after that established one of the first sociological research centers in the United States, called the Atlanta Sociological laboratory.

One of the issues that DeBois explored was the phenomenon of "double consciousness." Double consciousness refers to the fact that whites assume they are the normative person, and so have a singular consciousness as an American. Black people, on the other hand, refer to themselves (and are referred to) as African-Americans. The difference is powerful when viewed from a sociological perspective, and can explain a lot about the identity that black people develop in opposition to white dominant culture.Race remains a defining issue for many African-Americans because of the phenomenon of double consciousness.

DuBois wrote The Philadelphia Negro: A Social Study about the African-American community in Philadelphia. The study showed how prejudice has prevented African-Americans from reaching their goals, and that they have internalized the belief in their own inferiority to whites. As a result, many successful African-Americans end up leaving their communities and never turning back.

Although he was well-educated, DuBois believed that mainstream education did not serve the needs of people of color. W.E.B. DuBois was one of the founding members of the National Association for the Advancement of colored People (NAACP), which is still operating today. DuBois was the editor of Crisis magazine of the NAACP. He grew tired and frustrated that political reform seemed impossible and when he was in his 90s, DuBois moved….....