On February 23, 1868, a great pioneer of civil rights was born in The United States of America. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois (W.E.B. Du Bois) was a writer, philosopher, sociologist, historian and much more.
On the occasion of his birth anniversary, Harvard University shared a snippet of his dissertation cover on their official Twitter handle. It is titled “The Suppression of the African Slave Trade in the United States of America, 1638-1871” and according to the post, is a part of the Harvard archives.
His dissertation was not just an important break-through for him but for the whole African-American community at large. He was the first-ever African-American individual to earn a Doctorate at Harvard.
On this day in 1868 W.E.B. Du Bois was born. In 1895, he became the first African American to receive a PhD at Harvard. His dissertation, “The Suppression of the African Slave Trade in the United States of America, 1638-1871,” is part of the Harvard Archives. pic.twitter.com/fZqBO0oXHL— Harvard University (@Harvard) February 23, 2021
The month of February also happens to be ‘Black History Month’ in the USA. While it started small, BHM later got government recognition and it now observed in all schools, colleges, and offices. It is dedicated to recognising and celebrating Black voices that led not only rights movements but who made a mark in fields of art, history, literature, science, and so on.
According to many scholars, Du Bois was 'a giant in the struggle for Black freedom in the US'. His interest in sociology arose at a very young age when he realised there was a ‘vast veil’ between him and his white-counterparts. As he grew older, this divide became more and more visible to him and he spent his life studying, analysing, and decoding social evils that existed in America.
During his birth month in 1909, Du Bois helped found the incredible civil rights association— National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). At a time of segregation and deep-rooted institutional racism, this organisation became a platform to voice many injustices caused to black and minority communities.
He has also written some prominent books that have helped educate millions about social structures. From The Study of the Negro Problems (1898) to Black Reconstruction in America (1935) and Africa in Battle Against Colonialism, Racialism, Imperialism (1960) he has over two dozen fiction and non-fiction books.
However, this phenomenal pioneer still remains little discussed in popular culture.