The Education of Black People: Ten Critiques, 1906 - 1960

by W.E.B. Du Bois, Herbert Aptheker (Editor)

Undoubtedly the most influential black intellectual of the twentieth century and one of America's finest historians, W.E.B. DuBois knew that the liberation of the African American people required liberal education and not vocational training. He saw education as a process of teaching certain timeless moderation, an avoidance of luxury, a concern for courtesy, a capacity to endure, a nurturing love for beauty. At the same time, DuBois saw education as fundamentally subversive. This was as much a function of the well-established role of educationfrom Plato forwardas the realities of the social order under which he lived. He insistently calls for great energy and initiative; for African Americans controlling their own lives and for continued experimentation and innovation, while keeping education's fundamentally radical nature in view.
Though containing speeches written nearly one-hundred years ago, and on a subject that has seen more stormy debate and demagoguery than almost any other in recent history, The Education of Black People approaches education with a timelessness and timeliness, at once rooted in classical thought that reflects a remarkably fresh and contemporary relevance.

Genres: History, Education, Nonfiction, Classics, Social Justice

183 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

In 1868, William Edward Burghardt Du Bois (pronounced 'doo-boyz') was born in Massachusetts. He attended Fisk College in Nashville, then earned his BA in 1890 and his MS in 1891 from Harvard. Du Bois studied at the University of Berlin, then earned his doctorate in history from Harvard in 1894. He taught economics and history at Atlanta University from 1897-1910. The Souls of Black Folk (1903) made his name, in which he urged black Americans to stand up for their educational and economic rights. Du Bois was a founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and edited the NAACP's official journal, "Crisis," from 1910 to 1934. Du Bois turned "Crisis" into the foremost black literary journal. The black nationalist expanded his interests to global concerns, and is called the "father of Pan-Africanism" for organizing international black congresses.

Although he used some religious metaphor and expressions in some of his books and writings, Du Bois called himself a freethinker. In "On Christianity," a posthumously published essay, Du Bois critiqued the black church: "The theology of the average colored church is basing itself far too much upon 'Hell and Damnation'—upon an attempt to scare people into being decent and threatening them with the terrors of death and punishment. We are still trained to believe a good deal that is simply childish in theology. The outward and visible punishment of every wrong deed that men do, the repeated declaration that anything can be gotten by anyone at any time by prayer." Du Bois became a member of the Communist Party and officially repudiated his U.S. citizenship at the end of his life, dying in his adopted country of Ghana. D. 1963.

More: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/t...

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stori...

http://www.math.buffalo.edu/~sww/0his...

http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/dub...

Reviews

[Daniel Kleven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent and highly recommended for anyone interested in: Du Bois (obviously), education, race, and history, and any combination of the above (i.e., Du Bois on race, or, the history of education, or, Du Bois on the teaching of history, or, well, The Education of Black People, or, ...)

Du Bois and his thought is a force that must be reckoned with on any subject that he addressed. And Du Bois gave a lot of thought and energy to the work of education. It was one of the subjects at the heart of his debate with Booker T. Washington, it was one of the subjects he devoted decades of scholarly study to, and it was one of the elements at the core of what he saw was necessary for the flourishing of Black people in America. And his thought developed over time, so any takes on Du Bois that rely exclusively on his work in, say 1906, without factoring in his more mature reflections in 1948, or even 1960, have presented only a partial Du Bois.

Du Bois wrestles with "the color line" as intensely as anyone, including the "paradox of segregation." Is integration a good thing if it dehumanizes Black students in predominantly white spaces? Are segregated schools best if they are under-resourced and even discriminated against? What are the underlying attitudes within each of these spheres? These are aspects of the "paradox" that Du Bois highlights expertly.

Herbert Aptheker did a great service in publishing some (at the time) previously unpublished material by Du Bois, as well as his reflections on his previous work. In addition, there is an annotated bibliography of nearly all of Du Bois's published writings on the topic of education including 78 total items spanning 74 years.

Excellent, excellent stuff.

[Iyan Sandri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was a good walk through of Black Higher Education during Du Bois' time. Wish I read this during my history of higher education class.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to apply a star rating. It's an important collection that I'm rediscovering now. Among other essays, 'Whither Now and Why' is incredibly prescient, and relevant.

[Nohea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the Revelation of St. Orgne the Damned for Philosophy and Education

[David Withun · Rating 5 out of 5]

-