The Souls of Black Folk by W. Du Bois

When The Souls of Black Folk was first published in 1903, it had a galvanizing effect on the conversation about race in America - and it remains both a touchstone in the literature of African America and a beacon in the fight for civil rights. W. E. B. Du Bois combines history and stirring autobiography to reflect on the magnitude of American racism and to chart a path forward against oppression.

The Souls of Black Folk is a selection of 14 essays. It is considered to be one of the most revolutionary works in African-American literature.
In his book, Du Bois raises an important topic of racial segregation that came after the abolition of slavery in the US. The author uses a concept of ‘double consciousness’ to illustrate challenges associated with being black and American at the time. The author also wants to show white Americans what it is like to be on the other side, to live behind ‘the veil’. The book is a perfect depiction of the contact battle with racism and it is fully relatable to the modern society we live in.

William Edward Burghardt Du Bois (1868 - 1963), known as W.E.B. Du Bois, was a writer and political activist, born in Massachusetts. In 1895, he was the first African- American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University. In his fight against discrimination, he founded the Niagara movement, the first black-led institution protecting rights of coloured races. He also co-founded NAACP (the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) in 1909. Throughout his life and in his literature, Du Bois became very well known for raising awareness of racial prejudice and fighting for the rights of African Americans.