The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. Du Bois

Title Information
The Souls of Black Folk is a collection of articles originally published in the Atlantic Monthly, The New World, and other journals, about the black experience from the time of emancipation through the turn of the twentieth century.  W.E.B. Du Bois wrote that "The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color-line,--the relation of the darker to the lighter races of men in Asia and Africa, in America and the islands of the sea."

The articles are strung together by "A bar of sorrow songs," the score of each being reproduced here as they appeared in the original publication.

The first three articles treat of historical and political issues emerging out of the black experience, including issues of the right to vote,  literacy, and "how it feels to be 'the problem'".  He further details the differences between his positions and those of Booker T. Washington, who he increasingly saw as being too accommodating of the status quo.

Six further essays include stories of life in the South and of the black experience along with Du Bois' own analysis.  Reflecting experiences from his own life and those of others, with ongoing reference to the legacy of slavery, he examines the hardships of the poor in the South, and emphasizes the critical importance of education in helping blacks to rise above their current circumstances.

Finally, the last five articles explore black spirituality.

Format: Sony Reader