How Did W. E. B. Dubois Impact On Society
Teanna Hayes
Professor Ma
Sociology 4000
30 April 2017
W.E.B. Du Bois: Race and Racism in Modern Society
From extensive lessons in African American history, or American history in general, many individuals are familiar with William Edward Burghardt; also known as W.E.B. Du Bois. He was a preeminent sociologist, an activist, and a writer. Du Bois was also well Educated from one of the top colleges, Harvard University. Du Bois is known for many things, those being a founding officer of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), his famous book, The Souls of Black Folk, and his theoretical work on race (Ritzer and Stepnisky 65). Earlier in W.E.B Du bois’s career, his racialism theory believed that “the problem of …show more content…
The concepts of the veil and double consciousness meant that there was a clear separation between black and white people (68). However, the veil is what focused on the socio-structural fact of the divide, while double consciousness focused on the social psychological consequences, “African Americans were both insiders and outsiders but more specifically outsiders within… they both saw themselves from the perspective of their own community and the perspective of the white community” (68). The text also states that double consciousness refers to the feeling that a black individual had of being split in two, of having two forms of self-consciousness, “On the one hand, this position gives blacks unique and enhanced insight into society as a whole… on the other hand, this split produces enormous confusion and tension (68). This was because “By trying to cultivate and preserve a racial identity, blacks come into conflict with trying to fit into white society” (Du Bois Sociological Theory). With this situation, black individuals suffered socially, and psychologically. The concepts of the veil and double consciousness occupy a significant place in Du Bois’s race theory, “Du Bois hoped that his work would give white Americans a glimpse behind the veil so they could understand the ‘black experience’ in America” (Du Bois Sociological
Professor Ma
Sociology 4000
30 April 2017
W.E.B. Du Bois: Race and Racism in Modern Society
From extensive lessons in African American history, or American history in general, many individuals are familiar with William Edward Burghardt; also known as W.E.B. Du Bois. He was a preeminent sociologist, an activist, and a writer. Du Bois was also well Educated from one of the top colleges, Harvard University. Du Bois is known for many things, those being a founding officer of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), his famous book, The Souls of Black Folk, and his theoretical work on race (Ritzer and Stepnisky 65). Earlier in W.E.B Du bois’s career, his racialism theory believed that “the problem of …show more content…
The concepts of the veil and double consciousness meant that there was a clear separation between black and white people (68). However, the veil is what focused on the socio-structural fact of the divide, while double consciousness focused on the social psychological consequences, “African Americans were both insiders and outsiders but more specifically outsiders within… they both saw themselves from the perspective of their own community and the perspective of the white community” (68). The text also states that double consciousness refers to the feeling that a black individual had of being split in two, of having two forms of self-consciousness, “On the one hand, this position gives blacks unique and enhanced insight into society as a whole… on the other hand, this split produces enormous confusion and tension (68). This was because “By trying to cultivate and preserve a racial identity, blacks come into conflict with trying to fit into white society” (Du Bois Sociological Theory). With this situation, black individuals suffered socially, and psychologically. The concepts of the veil and double consciousness occupy a significant place in Du Bois’s race theory, “Du Bois hoped that his work would give white Americans a glimpse behind the veil so they could understand the ‘black experience’ in America” (Du Bois Sociological