First published 1994
W. E. B. Du Bois emerges from these pages as a figure who reshaped American consciousness through five decades of relentless intellectual work. Lewis spent eight years researching and writing this account of Du Bois's early and middle career phases, from 1868 to 1919. The biography examines how Du Bois transformed American self-perception during this crucial half-century period. Lewis documents Du Bois's evolution from scholar to activist, tracing his influence on civil rights thought and racial discourse. The book captures the intensity of Du Bois's long career through meticulous research. Readers discover how one man's ideas altered the nation's understanding of race, identity, and social justice. Lewis presents Du Bois not as a distant historical figure but as a dynamic intellectual whose work continues to shape contemporary debates.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, african-american, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-figure, intellectual-protagonist
Setting: America
Period: 1868-1919
752 pages · Paperback · Holt Paperbacks