The Enduring Lyricism Of W.E.B. Du Bois' 'The Souls Of Black Folk'
The collection of essays about black American life has been republished for Du Bois' 150th birthday anniversary — and still has plenty to say to those encountering it.
It was no accident that W.E.B. Du Bois called his book The Souls Of Black Folk, says Ibram X. Kendi, author of Stamped From The Beginning: The Definitive History Of Racist Ideas In America. DuBois wasn't looking for a catchy title — he was reacting to the reality of his times.
"Racist Americans were making the case that black people did not have souls," Kendi says. "And the beings that did not have souls were beasts."
Today is the 150th anniversary of the birth of Du has been republished. It's a collection of essays on black life and race relations in the United States at the turn of the 20th century.
