Du Bois

W.E.B Du Bois is widely considered one of the most accomplished and controversial African American intellectuals in U.S. history. A pioneering historian, sociologist, political economist, and civil rights activist, his masterpiece The Souls of Black Folk remains one of the most widely read books in the history of American literature. In this new book, Reiland Rabaka critically explores Du Bois’s multidimensional legacy, lucidly introducing his main contributions in areas ranging from American sociology and critical race studies to black feminism and black Marxism. Rabaka argues that Du Bois’s corpus, particularly when attention is given to his contributions to the critique of racism, sexism, capitalism and colonialism, can be persuasively interpreted as both an undeniable and unprecedented contribution to the origins and evolution of one of our most important contemporary critical concepts: intersectionality. Du Bois: A Critical Introduction is an indispensable resource for scholars and students of history, sociology, politics, and economics. It will also be very valuable for those working in interdisciplinary fields, ranging from African American studies, critical race studies, and critical white studies to black feminism, black Marxism, and black internationalism.

Acknowledgments page viii Introduction: Du Bois’s Lifework 1 1 The Philadelphia Negro: Early Work and the Inauguration of American Sociology 11 2 The Souls of Black Folk: Critique of Racism and Contributions to Critical Race Studies 41 3 “The Souls of White Folk”: Critique of White Supremacy and Contributions to Critical White Studies 64 4 “The Damnation of Women”: Critique of Patriarchy, Contributions to Black Feminism, and Early Intersectionality 95 5 Black Reconstruction: Critique of Capitalism, Contributions to Black Marxism, and Discourse on Democratic Socialism 121 Conclusion: Du Bois’s Legacy 157 Notes 162 Index 204