Synopsis
Perhaps no one expressed the aspirations of black America in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries better or more eloquently than William Edward Burghardt Du Bois. His voice and his pen forced Americans to confront the issue of civil rights and address the racial hatred that tortured the nation. An intellectual, writer, scholar, and political activist, Du Bois is remembered as the cofounder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the author of more than two dozen major books and essays.
Children's Literature
Educated in Berlin, Germany, scholar W.E.B. Du Bois returned home at the age of 26 to make a name for himself in science and literature. He wished to become a leader for the African American people that were his heritage. However, the land he called home in the late 1800s offered little recognition to anyone who was black. When his efforts to make a difference with his persuasive writing failed, he realized that he must become a more vocal leader in order to change the way blacks were treated. The author has provided quotes from Du Bois throughout the text, as well as original photographs and sidebars about relevant personalities, events, and organizations. Appendix pages include a bibliography of Du Bois' works, a chronology of the times, an index, and a list of further readings. It would have been helpful to include some web pages for additional research. This is one of eighteen titles in the re-issued "Black Americans of Achievement" series. Librarians familiar with the original series will be pleased with this new release. The books are small in size and will be appealing to upper elementary and middle school students who most often need these resources.