WEB DuBois

  1. "What was DuBois’s real name?" – "William Edward Burghardt DuBois."

  2. "What major event was DuBois born shortly after? How could that have influenced his development throughout his childhood and early life?" – "He was born after the Civil War, which meant he grew up during a time when Black American identities were still being formed."

  3. "What major area of study (aka, subject in school) is DuBois considered a founder of, and why?" – "Sociology, because he taught it and led empirical studies at Atlanta University."

  4. "What was significant about the town DuBois grew up in, and how may that have played a role in opportunities he would go on to have granted or denied to him?" – "He grew up in a small town where only 2 out of 4000 residents were African American, which shaped his experiences and opportunities."

  5. "What significant accomplishments did DuBois have while he was in high school, which would go on to influence his later work?" – "He excelled academically and wrote articles for regional newspapers."

  6. "What school did DuBois attend for university, but later drop out of?" – "Fisk University."

"What are two reasons for why he left the school in the first place?" – "He later transferred after three years and continued his goal of attending Harvard, and his experiences with Jim Crow racism at Fisk deepened his awareness of racial division."

  1. "What major subjects did DuBois go on to teach once he graduated with a PhD?" – "Classics, modern languages, and sociology."

"What is significant about those two subjects and his role teaching them?" – "They show his broad intellectual influence and his role in advancing higher education and social science study for African Americans."

  1. "What is a Pan-African Congress?" – "A series of meetings bringing together African, Caribbean, and African American leaders."

"What are the goals of that organization, and why might those organizations be significant to the greater goals of the Harlem Renaissance?" – "The goals were to end colonial rule, promote political rights, and encourage global unity among Black communities, aligning with the Harlem Renaissance’s focus on Black identity and advancement."

  1. "What is DuBois’s concept of “The Talented 10th”?" – "The idea that the top 10% of educated African Americans should lead and uplift the community."

"How might this concept be helpful toward goals of the Harlem Renaissance and Civil Rights, and how might that concept also be detrimental to it?" – "It could help by promoting leadership and education, but could be detrimental by placing too much power in a small elite group."

  1. "What two major works did the group discuss with the class, and why are both important to understanding DuBois’s vision for American society?" – "The Souls of Black Folk and Black Reconstruction in America."

"Why are both important?" – "They analyze the African American experience, introduce key ideas like double consciousness, and challenge racist historical narratives."

  1. "What famous writer did DuBois famously have beef with?" – "Booker T. Washington."

"In what ways did the two conflict over their ideas of how to better fight for American integration?" – "Washington supported gradual progress and vocational education, while DuBois pushed for immediate equality, higher education, and direct action."

  1. "What major organization did DuBois help found?" – "The NAACP."

"What lasting impact did this organization have in America?" – "It fought for civil rights, challenged segregation and discrimination, and influenced future civil rights movements."

  1. "What political ideology did DuBois move toward later in his life?" – "He showed sympathy toward communism."

"Why did he begin to champion this ideology as an alternative to capitalism?" – "Because he believed it made progress toward a society without racial hierarchy."

  1. "Where did DuBois move to, where he would later spend the rest of his life?" – "Ghana."