The Souls of Black Folk

The Souls of Black Folk

Chapter Summaries

I

In this chapter Du Bois talks about the struggle that blacks have to go through during this period of time. He talks about what blacks should be able to have the right to do and that they should be treated as equals. Du Bois also uses the term “Veil” a lot, this means that whites don’t see them as who they really are but instead judge them from a vague point of view. He goes over the fact that carpetbaggers were going to the South to look for personal gain. The 15th amendment was also passed and seen as a step forward and Du Bois could see many more accomplishments in the near future.

II

Du Bois begins this chapter by saying that the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color-line. Basically this line separates African Americans from lighter skinned Americans and he points out that this was the issue that ignited the Civil War. He also talks about the Freedman's Bureau a lot. He reveals the beginning of the Freemen’s Bureau to being various attempts to manage fugitive slaves during the war. The Freedmen’s Bureau was passed by Congress in March, 1865 and originally was intended to support former slaves and manage abandoned lands for the period of the Civil War which ended shortly after.

III

In this chapter DuBois pays tribute to what Booker T. Washington accomplished. He also talks about all the people who disagree with Washington’s theories and concludes that they criticize Washington because they are envious of his accomplishments. Du Bois argues that the South should not be judged blindly as they are not responsible for the past and that there are many good southerners. In addition he states that education is extremely important and should not be undervalued which he situates with Washington’s school and his battle to educate colored people.

IV

Even though there has been change there are still many things that remain the same as before. Du Bois stresses the meaning of progress and what steps would it take for people to start looking in the present rather than the past. He starts with a memory of when he was younger and taught in Tennessee and goes on to describe the people he met as well as what life was like then. However later in his life he goes back to visit and realizes that many things have changed and not for the better but instead the opposite.

V

Du Bois goes on to describe Atlanta as a city once untouched by the greedy and unjustified world of the South. He continues to say that in order to move forward in this world as a Negro man they must work hard and be educated. Du Bois wanted to teach “MEN” and believed that in order to create men they must not get caught