University education W. E. B. Du Bois

the title page of du bois s harvard dissertation, suppression of african slave trade in united states of america: 1638–1871

relying on money donated neighbors, du bois attended fisk university, historically black college in nashville, tennessee, 1885 1888. travel , residency in south du bois s first experience southern racism, @ time encompassed jim crow laws, bigotry, suppression of black voting, , lynchings; lattermost reached peak in next decade. after receiving bachelor s degree fisk, attended harvard college (which did not accept course credits fisk) 1888 1890, influenced professor william james, prominent in american philosophy. du bois paid way through 3 years @ harvard money summer jobs, inheritance, scholarships, , loans friends. in 1890, harvard awarded du bois second bachelor s degree, cum laude, in history. in 1891, du bois received scholarship attend sociology graduate school @ harvard.

in 1892, du bois received fellowship john f. slater fund education of freedmen attend university of berlin graduate work. while student in berlin, traveled extensively throughout europe. came of age intellectually in german capital, while studying of nation s prominent social scientists, including gustav von schmoller, adolph wagner, , heinrich von treitschke. after returning europe, du bois completed graduate studies; in 1895 first african american earn ph.d. harvard university.