Return to Atlanta W. E. B. Du Bois

1 return atlanta

1.1 black reconstruction in america
1.2 projected encyclopedia
1.3 trip around world
1.4 world war ii

return atlanta

du bois did not have working relationship walter francis white, president of naacp since 1931. conflict, combined financial stresses of great depression, precipitated power struggle on crisis. du bois, concerned position editor eliminated, resigned job @ crisis , accepted academic position @ atlanta university in 1933. rift naacp grew larger in 1934 when du bois reversed stance on segregation, stating separate equal acceptable goal african americans. naacp leadership stunned, , asked du bois retract statement, refused, , dispute led du bois s resignation naacp.

after arriving @ new professorship in atlanta, du bois wrote series of articles supportive of marxism. not strong proponent of labor unions or communist party, felt marx s scientific explanation of society , economy useful explaining situation of african americans in united states. marx s atheism struck chord du bois, routinely criticized black churches dulling blacks sensitivity racism. in 1933 writings, du bois embraced socialism, asserted [c]olored labor has no common ground white labor , controversial position rooted in du bois s dislike of american labor unions, had systematically excluded blacks decades. du bois did not support communist party in u.s. , did not vote candidate in 1932 presidential election, in spite of african american on ticket.

black reconstruction in america

back in world of academia, du bois able resume study of reconstruction, topic of 1910 paper presented american historical association. in 1935, published magnum opus, black reconstruction in america. book presented thesis, in words of historian david levering lewis, black people, admitted citizenship in environment of feral hostility, displayed admirable volition , intelligence indolence , ignorance inherent in 3 centuries of bondage. du bois documented how black people central figures in american civil war , reconstruction, , showed how made alliances white politicians. provided evidence coalition governments established public education in south, , many needed social service programs. book demonstrated ways in black emancipation – crux of reconstruction – promoted radical restructuring of united states society, how , why country failed continue support civil rights blacks in aftermath of reconstruction.

the book s thesis ran counter orthodox interpretation of reconstruction maintained white historians, , book virtually ignored mainstream historians until 1960s. thereafter, however, ignited revisionist trend in historiography of reconstruction, emphasized black people s search freedom , era s radical policy changes. 21st century, black reconstruction perceived foundational text of revisionist african american historiography.

in final chapter of book, xiv. propaganda of history , du bois evokes efforts @ writing article encyclopædia britannica on history of american negro . after editors had cut reference reconstruction, insisted following note appear in entry: white historians have ascribed faults , failures of reconstruction negro ignorance , corruption. negro insists negro loyalty , negro vote alone restored south union; established new democracy, both white , black, , instituted public schools. editors refused and, so, du bois withdrew article.

projected encyclopedia

in 1932, du bois selected several philanthropies – including phelps-stokes fund, carnegie corporation, , general education board – managing editor proposed encyclopedia of negro, work du bois had been contemplating 30 years. after several years of planning , organizing, philanthropies cancelled project in 1938, because board members believed du bois biased produce objective encyclopedia.

trip around world

du bois took trip around world in 1936, included visits nazi germany, china , japan. while in germany, du bois remarked treated warmth , respect. after return united states, expressed ambivalence nazi regime. admired how nazis had improved german economy, horrified treatment of jewish people, described attack on civilization, comparable such horrors spanish inquisition , african slave trade.

following 1905 japanese victory in russo-japanese war, du bois became impressed growing strength of imperial japan. considered victory of japan on tsarist russia example of colored peoples defeating white peoples. representative of japan s negro propaganda operations traveled united states during 1920s , 1930s, meeting du bois , giving him positive impression of imperial japan s racial policies. in 1936, japanese ambassador arranged trip japan du bois , small group of academics.

world war ii

du bois opposed u.s. intervention in world war ii, particularly in pacific, because believed china , japan emerging clutches of white imperialists. felt european allies waging war against japan opportunity whites reestablish influence in asia. disappointed government s plan african americans in armed forces: blacks limited 5.8% of force, , there no african-american combat units – virtually same restrictions in world war i. blacks threatening shift support president franklin d. roosevelt s republican opponent in 1940 election, roosevelt appointed few blacks leadership posts in military.

dusk of dawn, du bois s second autobiography, published in 1940. title refers du bois s hope african americans passing out of darkness of racism era of greater equality. work part autobiography, part history, , part sociological treatise. du bois described book autobiography of concept of race [...] elucidated , magnified , doubtless distorted in thoughts , deeds mine [...] time life significant lives of men.

in 1943, @ age of 76, du bois abruptly fired position @ atlanta university college president rufus clement. many scholars expressed outrage, prompting atlanta university provide du bois lifelong pension , title of professor emeritus. arthur spingarn remarked du bois spent time in atlanta battering life out against ignorance, bigotry, intolerance , slothfulness, projecting ideas nobody understands, , raising hopes change may comprehended in hundred years.

turning down job offers fisk , howard, du bois re-joined naacp director of department of special research. surprising many naacp leaders, du bois jumped job vigor , determination. during 10 years while du bois away naacp, income had increased fourfold, , membership had soared 325,000 members.