The Souls of Black Folk - Week 4 - thru the end

[Robin P, Moderator]

This was my favorite part of the book because it contained people's stories. Chapter XI, The Passing of the First Born was beautifully poetic in its evocation of love for his son and the terrible loss of his death. But even here, Du Bois brings in social commentary, He wonders if his son is better off dead than living as a Black American. "Better far this nameless void that stops my life than a sea of sorrow for you." Yet Du Bois still has hope that his son might have done better if he only had the chance. He doesn't seem to believe in traditional Christian views of heaven.

The next chapter seems like a eulogy for Alexander Crummell. You can look him up online and see that the biography given by Du Bois is accurate, including the burning of a schoolhouse and the refusal of the Episcopal Church to accept him. The question of Africa is one that also preoccupied Du Bois, who ended up moving there.

Chapter XIII, Of the Coming of John, seems almost a play to me, with its various scenes over the years. (The title, Coming of John seems like a reference to John the Baptist, and I doubt that was inadvertent.) Du Bois uses a Black and a white young man to show the horrible toll of racism on both sides, but especially the humiliation and in the end deadly results for the Black man.

The last chapter ties together the quotations from the whole book by reviewing the songs or spirituals from which they come. And in the Afterthought, I was struck by the appeal to "O God the Reader". Readers hold the fate of a book in their hands. Again, it's a wonderfully poetic section.

Overall, I'm glad I read this, though I probably would never have picked it up on my own. I think most of the essays could stand alone (possibly they were written that way originally).

[Abigail]

I enjoyed this batch of essays a lot too. Chapter XIII, The Coming of John, seemed like a parable to me; I didn’t think it was to be taken as a literally true account.

I cringed over the spirituals essay because when I sang in (white) glee clubs in high school and college, we always included spirituals in our programs. I think it was well-intended on the part of the choral directors but it always felt pretty phony; nowadays we’d call it appropriation, and the choral arrangements were doubtless far from the original versions. I googled the Fisk Jubilee Singers and there’s a recording you can buy from several decades ago, in which a Fisk choir tries to reproduce the historical sound.

I’m really glad to have read this; have always heard about W.E.B. Du Bois but never knew much about him, or the controversies of his day. Certainly gave me a different view of all those schools named after Booker T. Washington!

[Robin P, Moderator]

Abigail wrote: "I enjoyed this batch of essays a lot too. Chapter XIII, The Coming of John, seemed like a parable to me; I didn’t think it was to be taken as a literally true account.

I cringed over the spiritual..."

Yes, I agree that the 2 men named John are composite figures to represent typical paths. And about the spirituals, some of them were favorites of Welsh male voice choirs. They sang them with British pronunciation and rather stiff delivery, which was always weird. But even we liberal Americans in churches and shows thought it was honoring the tradition to sing those songs (along with other practices like making Native American dreamcatchers.)

[Brian E]

Sorry to change the subject but I didn't know where to post this. As this book comes to a finish, I'm ready to start The Island of Dr. Moreau as I see it will be held April 2 to April 22.
I'm presuming by the dates it will be a 3-week discussion with each week starting on the following Sundays: April 2, April 9, April 16. However, I'd like to see how many chapters to read the first week too.
Is there a discussion thread yet?

[Robin P, Moderator]

Brian E wrote: "Sorry to change the subject but I didn't know where to post this. As this book comes to a finish, I'm ready to start The Island of Dr. Moreau as I see it will be held April 2 to April ..."

I've alerted the mods to get that posted soon, thanks for the inquiry! It is quite a short book.

[Bonnie]

Another book I was reading mentioned this book that we're reading,

From Homegoing :
Part Two, Sonny
"Jail gave Sonny time to read. He used the hours before his mother bailed him out to thumb through The Souls of Black Folk. He'd read it four times already, and he still wasn't tired of it. It reaffirmed for him the purpose of his being there, on an iron bench, in an iron cell. Every time he felt the futility of his work for the NAACP, he'd finger the well-worn pages of that book, and it would strengthen his resolve."

Cool :->

[Nancy]

This book is a treasure. As a white American, I am glad to add to my understanding of the realities of Black lives and experience from such a respected author. Chapter XI “Of the Passing of the First-Born” was wrenching - full of the heights of parental joy and the depths of parental despair. But the entire book was beautifully and movingly written, even in its depictions of the horrible cruelties inflicted on Black people through the centuries. I wonder how DuBois would perceive our current Black-White relationships.

[Lori, Moderator]

Abigail wrote: "I cringed over the spirituals essay because when I sang in (white) glee clubs in high school and college, we always included spirituals in our programs. I think it was well-intended on the part of the choral directors but it always felt pretty phony; nowadays we’d call it appropriation, and the choral arrangements were doubtless far from the original versions."

I don't think the teacher at our (almost entirely white) Christian school even told us the history of the songs. Maybe she didn't even know why the songs have the structures they do (clearly from blues and spirituals rather than European forms). With what's going on right now in Florida schools (including a rather infamous case right here in Tallahassee), things seem to be going right back to where they were. It's shameful.

[Rafael]

I am glad too that I read this book. It give us a good glimpse of the tensions that were boiling through the Reconstruction Era to the 20th century. It's cliche, but it's one of those books that people should read.

[mark]

Just finished this section (and the book). These were 4 amazing chapters, especially XI & XIII. What a way to close the book. The story of his son's death was so moving in its sadness and anger. The story "Of the Coming of John" was just incredible, perfect.

[Robin P, Moderator]

mark wrote: "Just finished this section (and the book). These were 4 amazing chapters, especially XI & XIII. What a way to close the book. The story of his son's death was so moving in its sadness and anger. Th..."

Thanks for your input. I'm sure those are the sections I will remember most, rather than the more historical/political ones. They are the most like fiction. I think good fiction is more effective for changing minds and hearts than facts, however compelling. I think this is why "long-form journalism" has become popular. It gives more of a story, with characters and plot, than a shorter article.

It's never too late to chime in, if anyone else is still reading this.

[Bonnie]

mark wrote: "Just finished this section (and the book). These were 4 amazing chapters, especially XI & XIII. What a way to close the book. The story of his son's death was so moving in its sadness and anger."
At first when he mentioned The Veil over the baby, I thought he meant as the boy grw older he would lose his innocence; a Veil of Prejudice / Intolerance / Racism. Eventually they would have to have "A Talk."

Then realized it was Sorrow. Valley of the Shadow of Death. This life, this world = a Veil of Tears. Vale.

[Bonnie]

Dang, I had to go look that one up to see when it was written! 1920.
The Souls of White Folk:

"Conceive this nation, of all human peoples, engaged in a crusade to make the "World Safe for Democracy"! Can you imagine the United States protesting against Turkish atrocities in Armenia, while the Turks are silent about mobs in Chicago and St. Louis; what is Louvain compared with Memphis, Waco, Washington, Dyersburg, and Estill Springs? In short, what is the black man but America's Belgium, and how could America condemn in Germany that which she commits, just as brutally, within her own borders?”

Edit: remember that Belgium was bad then bc of their colonies, not mild and good! See The Poisonwood Bible