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W.E.B. Du Bois: Revolutionary Across the Color Line
Born just five years after the abolition of slavery, W. E. B. Du Bois died the night before Martin Luther King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. In the many decades between, Du Bois contributed as much to the political and social advancement of African Americans as any other figure.
This book offers an accessible brief introduction to the life and times of Du Bois. It takes in his many achievements, such as being the first black man to earn a PhD from Harvard and co-founding the NAACP, and sets them alongside the seismic political changes of the twentieth century—many of which Du Bois weighed in on, including anti-imperialist and anti-colonial struggles across Asia and Africa. Bill V. Mullen reveals a Du Bois who was focused not just on the immediate question of African American rights, but also took up the question of socialism, the rise of communism, and the complicated interrelationship of capitalism, poverty, and racism.
The picture that emerges here is of a powerfully original thinker, fiercely engaged with the political, economic, and social questions of his day never letting up in his struggle to change the world for the better.
This book offers an accessible brief introduction to the life and times of Du Bois. It takes in his many achievements, such as being the first black man to earn a PhD from Harvard and co-founding the NAACP, and sets them alongside the seismic political changes of the twentieth century—many of which Du Bois weighed in on, including anti-imperialist and anti-colonial struggles across Asia and Africa. Bill V. Mullen reveals a Du Bois who was focused not just on the immediate question of African American rights, but also took up the question of socialism, the rise of communism, and the complicated interrelationship of capitalism, poverty, and racism.
The picture that emerges here is of a powerfully original thinker, fiercely engaged with the political, economic, and social questions of his day never letting up in his struggle to change the world for the better.
180 pages, Paperback
Published August 16, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 29, 2021
A decent short introductory biography. Providing context for his writing and a degree of literary analysis was helpful. However, I can’t get over how annoyingly anti-Stalin this was. I recommend for communists as an intro but not for people new to the left susceptible to anti-communist myths. Read with a critical eye.
February 6, 2025
super interesting to learn about du bois’ whole political journey!! i enjoyed this:)
August 24, 2021
Mullen has found a way to cover and contextualise Du Bois works in a concise and historically based manner. A great read for an intro and basic analysis of his works.
March 29, 2024
Okay, I have a lot of opinions.
Where this book succeded was its early chapters and its analysis of Black Reconstruction and parts of Du Bois' radical writings. Where this book failed, was the constant reminder of Du Bois uncritical support of the Soviet Union and China, and a general lack of analysis on Du Bois' writings on race. Mullen wrote about Pan-Africanism and anticolonialism, but not enough on about Du Bois' anlysis on race and racism. I agree with Mullen's critical writing on Du Bois' unwavering support for Stalinism and Maoism, but I felt that every page went on some tirade about why Du Bois was wrong for his support. Stalin and Mao were bad, I can say that as a historian and a marxist, but I don't need to be reminded of it constantly, especially when it spoils well thought analysis on Du Bois' writings or thoughts. As someone currently writing a biography for my honors thesis, this needed more work.
Another pro was how much Mullen was able to fit in and discuss in a short biography. I do think it is a great tool for people trying to do something similar, even if I have some problems with the analysis. Another con was that Mullen seemed to forget that Du Bois himself turned against his own idea of the Talented Tenth, Mullen writes a paragraph near the end that Du Bois was in some ways misguided by his belief in the Talented Tenth, and Du Bois would have agreed with that. I think it was around 1947 that Du Bois gives a speech challenging the Talented Tenth and his mistakes in believing that was a necessary factor in attaining equality. I don't remember the exact name of the speech, but if you look up the Guiding Hundreth you can find out more about it.
Still, this was a good book and I would recommend it to people that are interested in learning more about Du Bois socialism and communism, as well as a opening into further study of the man himself.
Where this book succeded was its early chapters and its analysis of Black Reconstruction and parts of Du Bois' radical writings. Where this book failed, was the constant reminder of Du Bois uncritical support of the Soviet Union and China, and a general lack of analysis on Du Bois' writings on race. Mullen wrote about Pan-Africanism and anticolonialism, but not enough on about Du Bois' anlysis on race and racism. I agree with Mullen's critical writing on Du Bois' unwavering support for Stalinism and Maoism, but I felt that every page went on some tirade about why Du Bois was wrong for his support. Stalin and Mao were bad, I can say that as a historian and a marxist, but I don't need to be reminded of it constantly, especially when it spoils well thought analysis on Du Bois' writings or thoughts. As someone currently writing a biography for my honors thesis, this needed more work.
Another pro was how much Mullen was able to fit in and discuss in a short biography. I do think it is a great tool for people trying to do something similar, even if I have some problems with the analysis. Another con was that Mullen seemed to forget that Du Bois himself turned against his own idea of the Talented Tenth, Mullen writes a paragraph near the end that Du Bois was in some ways misguided by his belief in the Talented Tenth, and Du Bois would have agreed with that. I think it was around 1947 that Du Bois gives a speech challenging the Talented Tenth and his mistakes in believing that was a necessary factor in attaining equality. I don't remember the exact name of the speech, but if you look up the Guiding Hundreth you can find out more about it.
Still, this was a good book and I would recommend it to people that are interested in learning more about Du Bois socialism and communism, as well as a opening into further study of the man himself.
August 22, 2021
"The problem of the Twentieth century is the problem of the Color Line"
Kevyt lasku taas pitkähkön tauon jälkeen oman väitöskirjan tematiikkoihin. Bill Mullenin kirjoittama poliittinen elämäkerta W.E.B. Du Boisista (1868-1963) tarjosi kiinnostavan matkan läpi 1900-luvun alkupuolen suurten poliittisten liikehdintöjen.
Pari vuotta Yhdysvaltain sisällissodan jälkeen syntynyt Du Bois ehti elämänsä aikana nähdä ja tehdä kaikenlaista. Akateemikkona hän kunnostautui erityisesti sisällissodan jälkeisen uudelleenrakennuksen ja orjuuden jälkeisen todellisuuden sosiologina. Tämä elämäkerta kuitenkin keskittyy enemmän Du Boisin poliittiseen aktivismiin kansalaisoikeusliikkeessä, tämän rooliin panafrikanismin synnyssä sekä erityisesti hänen sosialismiinsa.
Se missä kirja onnistuu parhaiten on nimenomaan Du Boisin kohtaamien olosuhteiden kuvaamisessa ja niiden liittymisessä esimerkiksi sangen ongelmalliseen tukeen stalinismille ja maioismille. Kokemus rasismista Yhdysvalloissa, imperialismin esiinmarssi ja myöhemmin myös antikommunistiset vainot McCarthyn aikaan ajoivat eittämättä Du Boisin kaltaisen humanistin aika radikaaliin nurkkaan. Mullen ei kuitenkaan ole mikään apologi vaan tuo esiin myös Du Boisin ajattelun kompastuskiviä kuten tämän itsepintaista elitismiä.
Valitettavasti kirja ei kuitenkaan tarjonnut ihan niin paljoa Du Boisin ajattelun kuvausta vaan enemmän tämän erilaisen aktivismin suhdetta maailman tapahtumiin. Osa luvuista oli myös vähän turhan listamaisia. Siitä huolimatta tämä oli hyvä poliittinen elämänkerta yhdestä 1900-luvun kiinnostavimmista ajattelijoista.
Kevyt lasku taas pitkähkön tauon jälkeen oman väitöskirjan tematiikkoihin. Bill Mullenin kirjoittama poliittinen elämäkerta W.E.B. Du Boisista (1868-1963) tarjosi kiinnostavan matkan läpi 1900-luvun alkupuolen suurten poliittisten liikehdintöjen.
Pari vuotta Yhdysvaltain sisällissodan jälkeen syntynyt Du Bois ehti elämänsä aikana nähdä ja tehdä kaikenlaista. Akateemikkona hän kunnostautui erityisesti sisällissodan jälkeisen uudelleenrakennuksen ja orjuuden jälkeisen todellisuuden sosiologina. Tämä elämäkerta kuitenkin keskittyy enemmän Du Boisin poliittiseen aktivismiin kansalaisoikeusliikkeessä, tämän rooliin panafrikanismin synnyssä sekä erityisesti hänen sosialismiinsa.
Se missä kirja onnistuu parhaiten on nimenomaan Du Boisin kohtaamien olosuhteiden kuvaamisessa ja niiden liittymisessä esimerkiksi sangen ongelmalliseen tukeen stalinismille ja maioismille. Kokemus rasismista Yhdysvalloissa, imperialismin esiinmarssi ja myöhemmin myös antikommunistiset vainot McCarthyn aikaan ajoivat eittämättä Du Boisin kaltaisen humanistin aika radikaaliin nurkkaan. Mullen ei kuitenkaan ole mikään apologi vaan tuo esiin myös Du Boisin ajattelun kompastuskiviä kuten tämän itsepintaista elitismiä.
Valitettavasti kirja ei kuitenkaan tarjonnut ihan niin paljoa Du Boisin ajattelun kuvausta vaan enemmän tämän erilaisen aktivismin suhdetta maailman tapahtumiin. Osa luvuista oli myös vähän turhan listamaisia. Siitä huolimatta tämä oli hyvä poliittinen elämänkerta yhdestä 1900-luvun kiinnostavimmista ajattelijoista.
August 28, 2023
Very good analysis of DuBois's long academic and activist career. Gives better coverage than some of his later life of exclusion and exile. Sympathetic to his leftward trajectory but rightly critical of his obliviousness to the crimes of Stalinism. Personally I would have liked a bit more analysis of his historical work, e.g. on Reconstruction.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews