W.E.B Du Bois
William Edward Burghardt, otherwise known as W.E.B, was undoubtedly this infamous and influential figure that impacted the elevation of the African American community. The man upheld a multitude of honorable occupations- a sociologist, author, historian, civil rights activist, and Pan-Africanist. He worked all these positions passionately towards the advancement of African Americans and the elimination of racism everywhere. This passion drove him into the reputation of a radical, as he constantly strove to rid of all the sugar coating and released all the ugly truths of racism for what they are. His intelligence swept the nation through his production of many literary works that shifted the mindsets of many, especially in the case of his special creation, a magazine called, The Crisis. Though his handiworks are many, he is chiefly known for being on the frontline for movements like the Niagara Movement, the National Association for the Advancement for Colored People, and the promotion of Pan Africanism.
As a college student, Du Bois heeded to racism which ignited his desire to change something about the treacherous subject matter. He spearheaded the Niagara Movement in partnership with William Monroe Trotter, a “mighty current” of a black civil rights organization in 1905. A denial of entry to a hotel in Buffalo, New York sprouted this movement out of agitation. A group of twenty nine, capable and accomplished owners, teachers, and clergymen, gathered together and birthed the first meeting in Niagara Falls (hence the name) on the side of Canada, since they were not allowed on the American side. They fought for the same civil rights and simple pleasures in life for African Americans that the rest of the Americans can take part of. Although there were many different advancement groups, this one in particular was so powerful because there was no room for ambiguity when it came down to seeking equal opportunity in every aspect. The entire country knew of their works, and it grew to 170 members in 34 states a year later. Legal change was the main aspiration here; they addressed racial crimes and injustices, economics, religion, health, and education. Naturally, challenges came about, especially because of the differing views that Du Bois, the General Secretary, and Trotter had. For example, Du Bois rooted for the integration of women in the system while Trotter opposed it. Since matters could not be mended, Trotter left in 1908 to start his own group, the Negro- American Political League. The group also were publicly accused of fraud and deceit which ultimately led to their downfall.
The year of 1908 was an especially busy year. This was the year that the Niagara Movement stopped meeting, and the racial rampage of Springfield, Illinois, additionally, occurred. This unfortunate event brought the death of eight African Americans, and the fleeing of 2,000 African Americans. This event, in addition to the short-lived Niagara Movement, posed as a predecessor to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or the NAACP. From 1910 to 1934, Du Bois labored for the association. He roused up many intellectual racial controversies, created commentaries towards the current events of all things revolving race, and gave reasoning to egalitarianism and proposed blueprints to each this main goal. His weapon for it all was his own brainchild a essential organ to the NAACP, the magazine, The Crisis. It became wildly popular, with only 1,000 initial monthly copies. Three years later, sales shot up to a staggeringly 30,000, only growing from there. It raised awareness and educated its readers on the issues especially prominent in the African American community and other discriminated minorities in a blunt fashion. Around the time, the numbers and intensity of lynchings increasingly shot up- basically a mass murder. The battle of race was (and still is) intense; lynching was not the only highlighted trouble. Economical issues also hindered the entire nation due to the mass migrations towards the North and the oppressive violence in the capital. During these trying times, the magazine and the NAACP stood by, and utilized their powers for protest to their fullest potential.
The magazine mainly appealed to the literate Negro public, and contained entries truly applicable to them, like “Colored High Schools”, “Women’s Clubs”, “The Colored College Athlete”. “Along the Color Line” was a newsletter that underlined the accomplishments on a large number of Negroes. Another section included a place to spill out his opinions, simply called “Opinion”. Additionally, as form of “militant journalism”, loudly and proudly, Du Bois made incredibly agitated, resentful, and sometimes sarcastic blasts on the white community. “Wasn’t it glorious? Does it not make you burn with shame to be a mere Black Man when such mighty deeds are done by the Leaders of Civilization? Does it not make you ‘ashamed of your race?’ Does it not make you ‘want to be white?’”.
It is plain to see that Du Bois was deep in his influence through The Crisis. This was his pride and joy. In fact, some reported that he was “too self-absorbed” and though it was a “very great assent” it was also “a danger”. All good things came to an end. In 1934, Du Bois stepped down from his position in the NAACP and his beloved, The Crisis, for several reasons. In addition to his crazed love, he additionally advocated an a differing African American nationalist strategy that went against the ideals of the NAACP. He fought for African American runned institutions, schools, and economic cooperatives, which defied the desire for integration in the case of the NAACP. In addition to that, he left the pages of The Crisis open to discussions that related to benefits of Marxian thought, an economic and political set of ideas that believed that the world should gear towards a communist political and economical system by the works of certain social revolutions, and discussions of racially-based economic institutions in the counteraction of race discrimination. All this led to tense relations between Du Bois and his colleagues, especially the executive director, Walter White.
Despite Du Bois’s withdrawal from the magazine, it still stands today, and he still actively was in pursuit in constantly being in close contact with the black community in order to educate them on the matters revolved around them. He move forward to a teaching position in Atlanta University where he created and published to major book works: Black Reconstruction, which discussed the nation’s socio-economic environment and development post-Civil War, and the Dusk of Dawn, which sprouted to present his personal, clear-cut opinions on Africans in general and their arduous search for freedom.
Although Du Bois previously introduced Pan Africanism in 1900, it was only after the signing of the armistice for World War I did the movement really catch fire. Du Bois, as a representative for the NAACP, sailed on over to the France for the Peace Conference of 1919. This event was a great opportunity to introduce all the issues that Africans face internationally. Here, he pleaded to President Woodrow Wilson for the American government to gain a deeper understanding on the treatment of black soldiers by the performance of a comprehensive study on them. Furthermore, he pressed for the consideration of the “future of Africa” within the upcoming peace treaty. He desired to colonize the people, and in a timely matter, the President set out the infamous Fourteen Points, a memorandum that stated principles for order, world peace, and aided in the negotiation of peace to close the world war, which aspired for “an absolutely impartial adjustment of all colonial claims, based on the principle that the interests of the population must have equal weight with the equitable claims of the government”. These implementations revealed the true impactful power of the Pan African Congress.
The might and toil of Du Bois was certainly there till the day he died in 1963. An agitator and an educator, he got things done in the war for freedom and liberty amongst the races. His occupations were many, as were accomplishments: the longstanding and active association, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, still stands today, growing increasingly in strength and numbers; he shone a light on issues that drastically needed to change, and educated people around him by his multiple literary works, and created a move of awareness for black people internationally. Though he experienced many conflicts as a black man, his many critics, and because of his headstrong personality, he nonetheless was a vital role. In simplest of terms, Du Bois was an extreme force not to be reckoned with.