W. E. B. Du Bois Bücher

Am 18. April 1903 erschien The Souls of Black Folk bei McClurg and Company in Chicago. Das 'brillante Werk' (Max Weber) wurde sofort ein Erfolg und machte seinen Autor, W. E. B. Du Bois, zum wichtigsten Führer der Schwarzenbewegung in der ersten Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts. Das Buch gilt als 'Urtext der afroamerikanischen Erfahrung' (Henry Louis Gates) und ist heute fester Bestandteil des Lektüreprogramms nordamerikanischer Colleges. Du Bois schildert in Die Seelen der Schwarzen seine Eindrücke in den Südstaaten der USA, manchmal mit dem genauen und distanzierten Blick des Soziologen oder Historikers, manchmal in Form einer Erzählung oder eines poetischen Reiseberichts. Otto Kallscheuer bezeichnete das Werk in der Frankfurter Allgemeinen Sonntagszeitung als ein 'aus soziologischen Analysen, historischen Skizzen, sozialpsychologischen Essays und autobiographisch inspirierter Fiktion komponiertes Tableau schwarzer Demütigung'.

1936 reist der afroamerikanische Soziologe W. E. B. Du Bois zu einem mehrmonatigen Forschungsaufenthalt ins nationalsozialistische Deutschland. Als scharfer Kritiker des Rassismus in seinem eigenen Land beobachtet er den Antisemitismus und die Entrechtung der Juden im "Dritten Reich". Seine wöchentlichen Reportagen aus diesen Monaten erscheinen hier zum ersten Mal in deutscher Sprache. Du Bois berichtet über die Wagner-Festspiele in Bayreuth und das Deutsche Museum in München, über deutsche Bierlokale und die Olympischen Spiele in Berlin, bei denen auch schwarze Sportler antreten. Mit der Vertrautheit des Deutschlandkenners und dem fremden Blick des schwarzen Amerikaners betrachtet er die totalitäre Diktatur. Du Bois beobachtet entlang der "Farbenlinie", "along the color line", und stellt überrascht fest, dass er persönlich kaum Diskriminierung erfährt. Umso mehr erschüttert ihn die Verfolgung der Juden: «Sie übertrifft an rachsüchtiger Grausamkeit und öffentlicher Herabwürdigung alles, was ich je erlebt habe», fasst er seine Eindrücke zusammen, «und ich habe einiges erlebt».

The collection features pivotal essays by W. E. B. Du Bois, showcasing his early concepts such as "the veil," "double-consciousness," and the "problem of the color line." Spanning from 1894 to 1906, these writings, some previously unpublished or recently translated, reveal Du Bois's profound historical insights and his evolving thoughts on race and identity. This volume serves as a crucial companion to his renowned work, The Souls of Black Folk, highlighting the foundational ideas that shaped his intellectual legacy.

"At the 1900 Paris Exposition the pioneering sociologist and activist W.E.B. Du Bois presented an exhibit representing the progress of African Americans since the abolition of slavery. In striking graphic visualisations and photographs (taken by mostly anonymous photographers) he showed the changing status of a newly emancipated people across America and specifically in Georgia, the state with the largest Black population. This beautifully designed book reproduces the photographs alongside the revolutionary graphic works for the first time, and includes a marvelous essay by two celebrated art historians, Jacqueline Francis and Stephen G. Hall."-- Provided by publisher

W.E.B. Du Bois was a pivotal figure in advocating for equality and civil rights for black Americans. His contributions include founding the Niagara Movement and the NAACP, as well as leading the Pan-African Movement. A significant influence on the Harlem Renaissance, he championed various social causes, including anticolonialism, anti-imperialism, and women's rights. Du Bois's legacy extends beyond the United States, as he fought for the rights of oppressed people globally, making him a key reformer and intellectual in American history.

The essential writings of Du Bois have been selected and edited by David Levering Lewis, his Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer.

"These essays by the prolific historian and civil rights activist W. E. B. Du Bois focus on some of the African-American author's lesser-known writings. They include "Strivings of the Negro People," "A Negro Schoolmaster in the New South," "The Talented Tenth," "Address to the Nation: The Niagara Movement Speech," "Evolution of the Race Problem," and more"--

W.E.B. Du Bois was a pivotal figure in American history, advocating for equality and civil rights for black Americans. He played a crucial role in founding significant movements such as the Niagara Movement and the NAACP, and he was instrumental in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. His activism extended beyond racial equality to include anticolonialism, anti-imperialism, unionism, and women's rights, making him a champion for the oppressed globally. His multifaceted contributions continue to influence social justice movements today.

The Philadelphia Negro is the first, and perhaps still the finest, example of engaged sociological scholarship-the kind of work that, in contemplating social reality, helps to change it.

The author reflects on his life with unprecedented honesty and depth, covering a two-decade span that showcases a significantly evolved perspective. Unlike his previous autobiographies, this volume aims to provide a comprehensive and candid review of his experiences, making it an essential read for those interested in his journey and insights.