This Day in History: 1903-04-27

W. E. B. Du Bois publishes The Souls of Black Folk: Essays and Sketches, a seminal work in the history of sociology and a cornerstone of African-American literature. The book contains several essays on race. To develop this work, Du Bois drew from his own experiences as an African American in American society. Outside of its notable relevance in African-American history, The Souls of Black Folk also holds an important place in social science as one of the early works in the field of sociology. In the book, Du Bois used the term “double consciousness”, applying it to the idea that Black people must at all times be conscious both of how they view themselves and of how the world views them. Learn more.