W.E.B. Du Bois

W.E.B. Du Bois was one of the first Black scholars to challenge racism through academic rigor. As a sociologist, historian, and co-founder of the NAACP, he reframed how race and democracy were understood.

His concept of “double consciousness” articulated the psychological impact of living in a society that devalues Black identity. Du Bois believed education and political engagement were essential tools for liberation.

His intellectual legacy laid the groundwork for modern civil rights movements and continues to influence scholarship today.