The Crisis W. E. B. Du Bois

du bois, c. 1911

naacp leaders offered du bois position of director of publicity , research. accepted job in summer of 1910, , moved new york after resigning atlanta university. primary duty editing naacp s monthly magazine, named crisis. first issue appeared in november 1910, , du bois pronounced aim set out facts , arguments show danger of race prejudice, particularly manifested today toward colored people . journal phenomenally successful, , circulation reach 100,000 in 1920. typical articles in editions included 1 inveighed against dishonesty , parochialism of black churches, , 1 discussed afrocentric origins of egyptian civilization.

an important du bois editorial 1911 helped initiate nationwide push induce federal government outlaw lynching. du bois, employing sarcasm used, commented on lynching in pennsylvania: point black. blackness must punished. blackness crime of crimes ... therefore necessary, every white scoundrel in nation knows, let slip no opportunity of punishing crime of crimes. of course if possible, pretext should great , overwhelming – awful stunning crime, made more horrible reporters imagination. failing this, mere murder, arson, barn burning or impudence may do.

the crisis carried editorials du bois supported ideals of unionized labor excoriated racism demonstrated leaders, systematically excluded blacks membership. du bois supported principles of socialist party (he briefly member of party 1910 1912), denounced racism demonstrated socialist leaders. frustrated republican president taft s failure address widespread lynching, du bois endorsed democratic candidate woodrow wilson in 1912 presidential race, in exchange wilson s promise support black causes.

throughout writings, du bois supported women s rights, found difficult publicly endorse women s right-to-vote movement because leaders of suffragism movement refused support fight against racial injustice. crisis editorial 1913 broached taboo subject of interracial marriage: although du bois expected persons marry within race, viewed problem women s rights issue, because laws prohibited white men marrying black women. du bois wrote [anti-miscegenation] laws leave colored girls absolutely helpless lust of white men. reduces colored women in eyes of law position of dogs. low white girl falls, can compel seducer marry her ... must kill [anti-miscegenation laws] not because anxious marry white men s sisters, because determined white men leave our sisters alone.

during years 1915 , 1916, leaders of naacp – disturbed financial losses @ crisis, , worried inflammatory rhetoric of of essays – attempted oust du bois editorial position. du bois , supporters prevailed, , continued in role editor. in 1919 column titled true brownies , announced creation of brownies book, first magazine published african-american children , youth, founded augustus granville dill , jessie redmon fauset.