Book Description

This prophetic statement made by W. E. B. Du Bois over a century ago is from The Souls of Black Folk. One hundred years later, Souls remains the most important treatment of African-American life and culture published in the twentieth century. Richly illustrated, this special edition of Du Bois's seminal work includes historical woodcuts and engravings, photos and documents. Most of the photos, engravings, and documents are from the 19th and early 20th century and depict American slavery and its legacy, African-American life, and the prominent figures and events associated with the book's content. Assembled by Eugene F. Provenzo Jr., this illustrated edition of The Souls of Black Folk also offers extensive annotations, commentary and related materials from government, the media, advertising, and popular culture. Documents include the Act Establishing the Freedman's Bureau, Booker T. Washington's Atlanta Exposition Speech, W. E. B. Du Bois's essay "The Talented Tenth," Ida B. Wells-Barnett's The Lynch Law in Georgia, W. E. B. Du Bois's report "The Negro in the Black Belt," Alexander Crummell's sermon, "Common Sense and Schooling," W. E. B. Du Bois's story, "The Black Man Brings His Gifts," Thomas Wentworth Higginson's article "Negro Spirituals," and more.