The Souls of Black Folk

The Souls of Black Folk

               

                I just finished the Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois and I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the second half much more than the first half. My favorite part of the book was that every chapter started out with a song. These were all separate essays and Du Bois placed songs at the beginning of each to unite it and I loved this in a very symbolic way. Being a guy extremely into music I believe music is the one thing that can instantly unite strangers. Through song you can display your inner most agonies or your happiest thoughts. Music is a feeling and is a worldwide way to communicate. I wish this was written in more modern day times so you could hear each song before the beginning of each chapter. That would really set the mood and display a feeling.

                My favorite passage is on page 102 which talks about how learning and higher knowledge is color blind. “I sit with Shakespeare and he winces not. Across the color line I move arm in arm with Balzac and Dumas, I summon Aristotle and Aurelius and what soul I will, and they come graciously with no scorn nor condescension.” I love this paragraph because it shows how stupid it is to deny anyone education. The people who write the books want to be read, they want the world to know what they know, hence the reason to write anything down. To think that certain knowledge belongs to certain people is ridiculous. Knowledge should belong to anyone who seeks it. Du Bois in this book really argues how education was essential to get blacks into American society and he was right! Now education is given to every American citizen.

Too much is determined by a past and actions that we can’t control. Du Bois talks of how his son is born into this world with the veil. “Within the Veil was he born…and there within shall he live, a negro and a negro’s son. Holding in that little head the unbowed pride of a hunted race, clinging to a hope not hopeless but unhopeful…” I am so embarrassed by the world’s history, where people were cruel based on appearances. I’m embarrassed that we live in a world where we hold on to prejudices that were developed hundreds of years ago. As we talk about blacks being brought in this world living under harsh realities even to this day I feel guilty. I, as a white male, like Du Bois’ son, am brought into this world living with repercussions of actions that are not my own. I myself have never done anything racist or said anything racist but I am a part of this white culture which has been racist towards not only blacks but Hispanics and Indians as well. Reading these readings of suffering and hard times because of the white man makes me feel guilty and bad about myself but I have to constantly remind myself that we should not be judged by the actions of others who look like us. I believe, like Du Bois that everyone should be born into this world their own person, unattached to the past of their race. I hope one day the world is color blind to race that we acknowledge that we are all one HUMAN race.