FREE ESSAY ON W.E.B. DUBOIS PRESENTED OBJECTIVELY

W.E.B. DUBOIS PRESENTED OBJECTIVELY

W.E. B. DuBois Presented Objectively 
William Edward Burghardt DuBois was an intellectual Jack of All Trades. DuBois was a
scholar , activist, writer, and an international diplomat. During his time, he was at
least involved in if not in the forefront of every movement advocating equal rights for
African Americans. DuBois provided the impetus for numerous organizations and
periodicals. Dubois dedicated a part of himself to numerous worthy causes, but that same
generosity had a detrimental effect on the out come of his efforts. As a result of
distributing his efforts amongst many worthy causes, DuBois rarely followed his
individual dreams to complete fruition. Although DuBois may not have taken every step he
could, he went farther than many people will ever go to better the lives of their
people.
DuBois made monumental contributions to history, politics, and to lives of African
Americans that have been paralleled by few and eclipsed by none.
DuBois discovered his purpose in life at the early age of twenty. Dubois was , he said
determined to make a scientific conquest of my environment , which would render the
emancipation of the Negro race easier and quicker (Stafford 35) . After discovering his
purpose DuBois made a promise to himself and decided that he was devoting himself toward
a life that shall be an honor to the race  (Stafford 35 ). The first obstacle DuBois
encountered was gaining support from his own people. At the beginning of the twentieth
century , America's most prominent Black leader was Booker T. Washington. Washington
believed that Blacks should delay their campaign for political , social , and
intellectual equality and concentrate chiefly on making economic gains  ( 13 ). In
contrast , DuBois thought Washington  perpetuated the view that blacks were an inferior
people  ( 14 ) .Most people live their lives conforming to society's standards . DuBois
was a part of an elite group of Blacks who defied the comfortable stereotypes cherished
by white bigots  ( 14 ). DuBois was one of the first Black intellectuals to advocate a
militant solution to racial problems  ( Ferris 180 ). Previously , intellectuals sought
equality through legislative procedures and playing on society's ethics . Violence was
often the angry outcry of the lesser educated black populus. 
One of DuBois's first endeavors was the Niagara Movement in 1905. This movement. Was
started in response to Washington's perpetuating policies. DuBois organized a select
group of influential Blacls to discuss the current state of Black affairs. At their
meeting the members proclaimed  We want our children trained as intelligent human beings
should be and we will fight for all time against any proposal to educate Black boys and
girls simply as servants and underlings, or simply for the use of other people ( Stafford
67 ). They vowed  to stand up for manhood rights , denounce and 
defeat oppressive laws, and assail the ears and the conscience of white Americans so long
as America is unjust  ( McKissack 67 ). At this point DuBois needed a means yo spread 
his message. Also in 1905  DuBois launched a liberal journal called The Moon to publicize
the Niagara Movement's views, but the journal failed to reach a large audience and ground
to a halt a half year later  ( Marable 56 ). This was just the first of several
publications and organizations Dubois was to lead  Though the Niagara Movement created a
considerable stir , its maximum membership was only about 400 and beyond agitation its
accomplishments were relatively limited  ( Meier 48 ). The last meeting of the movement
was held in 1909.
DuBois was involved in numerous overlapping activities. Also in 1905 DuBois started The
Horizon which was another short - lived periodical which lasted about three years. In
1909 a meeting was held to discuss Black advancement. This led to a conference in 1910 at
which DuBois helped establish the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People (N. A. A. C. P.) . Ironically, this association was controlled and financed by
white people. However , DuBois was enthusiastic and believed this marked  a new alliance
between social workers and reformers  ( Logan 132 ). At this point DuBois believed that
all people of the United States could coexist in racial harmony as expressed in his
theory that  if white men were prejudiced because of their ignorance and Black men were
held back because of their ignorance , then education had to be the key to reconciling
the races  ( Hamilton 178 ). DuBois ' position in the N.A.A.C.P. was director of
publicity and research. From this position DuBois launched his next 
publication, Crisis , which was intended to be the official publication of the N.A.A.C.P.
However , DuBois controlled its contents and made certain yhat it reflected his own 
views. His strong militant views did not go unoticed by the white members of the
N.A.A.C.P. In 1934 after attempting to democratize the N.A.A.C.P. , DuBois resigned from
the crisis and the N.A.A.C.P.
DuBois was involved in the Pan - Africanism movement from 1900 until about 1947. This
movements purpose was to provide assistance to the colonies in Africa. DuBois believed
that  The new African state that must come into being would make mistakes , in part
because they had not been given the opportunity to participate meaningfully in their own
governance , such errors would be learned from , and were a necessary concomitant of the
new powers of self - determination that must come to Africa ( Moore 56-57 ). Although
DuBois was a very prominent figure in the Pan - Africanism movement , once again
differences of opinion with other leaders eventually weakened his involvement .
DuBois fluctuated between numerous organizations and movements , but his philosophies and
ethics were also changing throughout his life. Initially , DuBois was willing to work
side by side with white people who he believed shared his vision. However, in the early
1930's his racial tone began to shift .  He believed his efforts to 
work together with white people were fruitless and that his initial idea that an educated
person is less likely to be prejudiced was untrue  ( Mckissack 97). A person's
philosophies can easily change through experience and the acquisition pf knowledge. 
DuBois ' failures opened his eyes to new ideas.  He began to believe that the key to
Black advancement was within the race itself  ( 98 ). DuBois compared and contrasted
communism, capitalism, democracy, and socialism. To decide which form of government was
best, he cited the benefits each held for Black Americans. DuBois was a member of the
socialist party in 1911 and 1912 but  DuBois made no secret about the fact that he
admired the Soviet Government for its commitment to racial harmony and equality  ( 117 ).
DuBois even sent a letter to the chairman of the communist party applying for membership.
He was definitely a man of constant change. Marcus Garvey , also a Black political leader
, said:
In his fifty - five years , DuBois personally , has made a success of nothing. In all his
journalistic , personal , and other business efforts he has failed and if it were not for
(his white associates) DuBois , no doubt , would be eating his pork chops from the
counter of the cheapest restaurant in Harlem like many other Negro graduates of Harvard
and Fisk. ( Marable 99 )
Garvey's opinion of DuBois is based strictly on the outcomes of various situations.
DuBois was not a good finisher. He was a great initiator. His purpose was to open the
minds of others so that they may take action themselves , not necessarily under his 
guidance. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream but it was not his personal responsibility
to bring it to fruition alone. Very few people accomplish everything they want to do in
life, 
but to inspire others to continue your dreams after you are gone, is a true
accomplishment and that is the legacy of W.E.B. DuBois.
Bibliography
Works Cited
Ferris, William H,  W.E.B. DuBois .Contemporary Literary Criticism. ED Dedria 
Bryfonski. Detroit: Gale Research company, 1980. 180 - 182.
Hamilton , Virginia . W.E.B. DuBois : A Biography . New York : Harper Collins , 1972.
Logan, Rayford W. W.E.B. DuBois A Profile. New York: Hill and Wang, 1971.
Marable, Manning. W.E.B. DuBois Black Radical Democrat. Boston: Twayne, 1986.
Mckissack, Patricia & Frederick . W.E.B. DuBois. New York : Franklin Wastts , 1990.
Meir , David Levering . W.E.B. DuBois : Biography of a Race. New York: Henry Holt ,
1993.
Moore , Jack B. W.E.B. DuBois . Boston : Twayne , 1981.
Stafford, Mark . W.E.B DuBois Scholar and Activist . New York : Chelsea House , 1989.