THE WRITINGS OF WEB DUBOIS

Prof. Kim Pearson Bliss 217 x 2692 Office hours: Monday 2-5 or by appt. kpearson@tcnj.edu

This is an interdisciplinary seminar course focused on the life, publications, philosophy and impact of William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, arguably the premier African American scholar and thinker of the 19th and 20th centuries. Particular attention will be accorded to Du Bois's methods and uses of scholarship and argumentation, which continue to inform debates about race, race relations and the politics of knowledge formation and dissemination. This course will enhance your understanding of modern American political and cultural history, while inviting your considered responses on the question, Will 'the color line' be the problem of the 21st century? If so, can Du Bois's ideas or methods assist us in solving this enduring problem?

Books

Required for purchase:
  1. Blight, David W., Gooding-Williams, Robert. The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. DuBois.Boston: Bedford Books. 1997
  2. Lewis, David Levering. W.E.B. Du Bois: Biography of A Race. New York: Henry Holt and Company, Inc. 1994.
  3. Lewis, David Levering.W.E.B. DuBois: A Reader. New York: Henry Holt and Company, Inc. 1995
    On Reserve:
    1. Black folk, then and now; an essay in the history and sociology of the Negro race New York, H. Holt and company, c1939
    2. Black reconstruction in America : an essay toward a history of the part which Black folk played in the attempt to reconstruct democracy in America, 1860-1920. New York : Russell & Russell c1935, 1962
    3. Color and democracy: colonies and peace. New York, Harcourt, Brace and company, 1945
    4. Dark princess, a romance. Millwood, N.Y., Kraus-Thomson Organization 1974, c1928
    5. Encyclopedia of the Negro, preparatory volume with reference volume, lists and reports. New York, Phelps-Stokes Fund, 1945.
    6. The souls of black folk; essays and sketches Greenwich, Conn., Fawcett 1968,c1961
    7. The quest of the silver fleece; a novel. Miami, Fla., Mnemosyne Pub. Co. 1969
    8. Blight, David W., Gooding-Williams, Robert. The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. DuBois.Boston: Bedford Books. 1997
    9. Byerman, Keith E. Seizing the Word. Athens:.The University of Georgia Press.1994
    10. * Gates, Henry Louis, Jr., McKay, Nellie Y.The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc..1997
    11. * Lewis, David Levering. W.E.B. Du Bois: Biography of A Race. New York: Henry Holt and Company, Inc. 1994. * Lewis, David Levering.W.E.B. DuBois: A Reader. New York: Henry Holt and Company, Inc. 1995
    12. * Marable, Manning, WEB Du Bois, Black Radical Democrat, Boston: Twayne, 1986
    13. * Rampersad, Arnold. Art and Imagination of W.E.B. Du Bois Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1976
    14. * Reed, Adolph L. Jr. W.E.B. DuBois and American Political Thought, New York: Oxford University Press. 1997
    15. Rudwick, Elliott. W.E.B. DuBois, Voice of the Black Protest Movement. Urbana, Ill.: University of Illinois Press Illini Books edition. 1982
    16. * Sundquist, Eric J. The Oxford W.E.B. DuBois Reader. New York;.Oxford University Press. 1996
    17. * Tate, Claudia.Psychoanalysis and Black Novels: Desire and the Protocols of Race. New York: Oxford University Press. 1998
    18. West, Cornel. Race Matters. New York: Beacon, 1993

    Course Requirements:

    An e-mail address: 5 percent

    Regular, substantive participation in message boardand in-class discussions: 20

    Participation in panel presentations of readings: 35

    Initiation, completion and supported presentation of a major research project for web, magazine or academic journal publication: 40 (In the case of both presentations of readings and of the research project, one fourth of the grade will be based on peer evaluations. These evaluations are an attempt to measure the extent to which your presentations contribute to your classmates' understanding of the material. In addition, ten percent of the grade for the research project will be based on the completion of interim deadlines for the project.)

    Description of the Major Assignments

    1. Panel presentations of readings: For each unit, a different panel will be responsible for preparing outlines and discussion questions for that unit's readings. This will include a chronology of key events during the time period covered in the unit and a list of the major themes and issues presented by the readings, questions for discussion, vocabulary lists (if needed) and background material. The material for each panel presentation will be posted to the class message board. Panels should meet with me before class to discuss the preparation of these materials.

    2. Research project: Students will write a 25-35 page paper or create a website exploring a single topic in depth. The research project must include an abstract, literature review and annotated bibliography.

    Grading Criteria for Written and Work:

    A Logic and facts are in order. Writing is clear, insightful, well documented, and interesting. No substantial spelling, grammar or mechanical errors. Presentations are delivered in the appropriate style and format, within the established time frame.

    B Logic and facts are in order. The writing is clear and competent. Errors are minimal. Presentations are informative and well supported.

    C The work is thoughtful and produced with care. Some errors.

    D An effort has been made to meet the requirements of the assignment, but substantial work is needed.

    F The requirements have not been addressed.

    0 The work has not been handed in, and no extensions have been given.

    Outline of Readings and Assignments

    Unit One: 1868-1900 (September 3-24) Major Topics: 1. Course overview and introduction, creation of student panels and email list (9/3)
    Assignment: Lewis, Biography introduction, watch W.E.B. Du Bois of Great Barrington

    2. Major economic, cultural and political changes in 19th-century America, including: Reconstruction and the rise of Jim Crow, America's boom-bust cycle and imperial expansion, European immigration, progressivism, socialism and populism as responses the excesses of industrialization, the rise of scientism and Social Darwinism. (9/7, 9/10)
    Readings: Reed, Chaps 1 and 2
    Recommended: Review of W.E.B. Du Bois and American Political Thought

    3. Major strains in African American thought, e.g. the demise of Frederick Douglass and the ascendance of Booker T. Washington (9/14)
    Required Readings: Lewis, Biography, Chap. 3 Gates, 461 - 472.
    Recommended Readings: Gates: 488-521 (excerpt from Washington, Up From Slavery)

    4. Du Bois's birth, youth, coming of age and emergence as a scholar, with particular attention to Tom Brown at Fisk, The Conservation of Races and Philadelphia Negro. His family background, marriage and life of his son will be noted.
    Readings: Lewis, Biography, Chaps.4-8 (9/17,9/20). Lewis, Reader, "Conservation of Races," "Tom Brown at Fisk" on reserve. Read this summary, a contemporary view of The Philadelphia Negro, and the contemporary issues it raises.
    Assignments: Panel presentations of readings, weekly in-class and message board responses to discussion questions prepared by panels (required each week throughout the course). Submission of tentative research topics.

    Unit Two: 1901-1919 (September 24- October 22) 5. The racial climate: view excerpts of "Birth of a Nation." Du Bois's initiation of the Atlanta University Studies.
    Lewis, Chap. 9, Rampersad Gates: pgs. 595-606 (excerpt from Wells, The Red Record). Lewis, Reader, "Atlanta University" p. 237-252. Also read this review of David Oshinsky's book "Worse Than Slavery," about the Southern convict labor system.
    Question: In what way is Du Bois' initiation of the Atlanta University studies consistent with his times? In what way is it a departure? (9/24, 9/27)

    6. Emergence as Washington's rival and successor: the impact of The Souls of Black Folk.
    read Blight, Souls. Also read Lewis, Chaps. 10-11 (10/1) Note: Because of the inauguration, we will not hold class on October 5. We will meet on October 8, on the modified schedule that will be announced. I encourage you to attend the Women in Leadership lectures that will take place during our class time. I will give extra credit for a reaction essay posted to the message board.

    7. The Niagra Movement, the founding of the NAACP and the Amenia Conference Lewis, Chaps. 12 and 14, Reader, pg. 380-86 (10/8)

    8. Crisis magazine, Du Bois and the Suffrage Movement. Lewis. Chaps. 16, 17, Reader, 291-313. Gates: 553-569 (excerpt from Cooper, A Voice From the South) (10/12, 10/15),

    9. World War I, Harlem Renaissance and Pan-Africanism Readings: Lewis (Biography, chap. 18 and Reader 698-733) Assignments:. Abstract, outline, annotated bibliography for research project (10/19, 10/22)

    Unit Three: 1920 - 1934 (October 26-November 5)

    10. Du Bois's growing Pan-Africanism, feud with Marcus Garvey.
    Read: Gates: 972-80 for background on Garvey and excerpts of his writings. Reader,333-345, 637 -692 for Du Bois's views of Garvey and his writings on Africa and Pan Africanism (10/26,10/29)

    11. Du Bois's growing marginalization as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance:
    Read Gates: 929-934, Criteria of Negro Art, (Reader, p. 509-515) . Skim Dark Princess (on reserve), and read Tate, chap 2 and conclusion (on reserve). Possible e-mail Discussion with Prof. Claudia Tate, Princeton University (November 2 -- vote!!!)

    12. Break with NAACP, Du Bois's controversial writings on black education and economic development. Reader, p. 555-571, Does the Negro Need Separate Schools (November 5)
    Assignments: research outline

    Unit Four: 1935-1951 (November 9-19)

    13. Black Reconstruction and the Propaganda of History. Read excerpts of Black Reconstruction, in particular. "The Propaganda of History." (11/9)

    14. The backlash against Du Bois's growing socialism.
    Readings: Reader, 749-785. Sundquist, Introduction Assignments: First drafts of research projects due 11/30

    Unit Five (December 3-10) 15. Du Bois' last years: Encylopaedia Africana and Communism Read: Reader, 577-631 To trace the progression of Du Bois's radical thought.(12/3)

    16. The relevance of Du Bois' ideas in today's world. Read Elijah Anderson interview on The Code of the Street, and the interview with Jim Sleeper on Liberal Racism (12/7, 12/10) Readings: Du Bois' last published interview West, "Crisis in Black Leadership" (on reserve)

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