This collection of essays by scholar-activist W. E. B. Du Bois is a masterpiece in the African American canon. Du Bois; arguably the most influential African American leader of the early twentieth century; offers insightful commentary on black history; racism; and the struggles of black Americans following emancipation. In his groundbreaking work; the author presciently writes that “the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line;†and offers powerful arguments for the absolute necessity of moral; social; political; and economic equality. These essays on the black experience in America range from sociological studies of the African American community to illuminating discourses on religion and “Negro music;†and remain essential reading in our so-called “post-racial age.†A new introduction by Jonathan Scott Holloway explores Du Bois’s signature accomplishments while helping readers to better understand his writings in the context of his time as well as ours.
#1658737 in Books Yale University Press 2012-04-17Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.21 x .80 x 4.95l; .69 #File Name: 0300181833304 pages
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. deTocqueville's letters home edited and translated by Frederick BrownBy GderfEach book on democracy in America has an obligatory reference to deToqueville. It's about time someone gave a comprehensive popular easily readable insight into the man and his writing. This is an opportunity to observer the great observer. It's a quick read about T's trip to America in 1831-2. The book is a compilation of letters to his friends and relatives in France. It starts with his family background and how his relatives managed to survive the period of Robespierre's terror.His observations of American statesmen limited to Jackson; JQA ; Webster and Joel PoinsettColonel Fish a friend of Hamilton and a daughter of Robert Fulton. The loquacious; hyperactive writing style is strangely very readable; somewhat like a stream of conscience mixed with very prescient observations. He generally shows concern for European politics as well as for the USA. He fears another terror after the upheavals of 1830. In citing a mercantile nationalism; he makes the curious observation that it's easy to get rich in the USA. He poses interesting and prescient questions about banking and judicial systems in America. He observes that we don't need either a standing army or an intelligent foreign policy. I wish it was still true.Besides observing the American penal system; the object of T's voyage; he made observations on society; religion; Indians; travel; geography; and politics and especially the court system. In a study of American banking; he noted that paper is replacing coin. That before the demise of the second BUS. I would have been interested in a similar observation after 1836. In America there is no lower class nor upper. It's still true; but now we deplore income disparity. Treaties are interpreted by the mightier. Indians practiced foot binding; making women pigeon toed. Postal rates are ruinous.The quarrel of the moment was between N and S on the issue of the tariff. T is not so interested in history as in the present. He failed to observe that was the first division between N-S and presaged the quarrel over slavery. Later T does make first hand observations about slavery without prognosis of the resulting war.There are many surprises; including the many apt observations from T's traveling companion; Gustave Beaumont; that I might have attributed to deToqueville himself. Kudos to Brown for including Beaumont in his book.T didn't get it all right and was not always sympathetic. He exhibits a questioning attitude rather than a pretense to have all the answers. I wish more politicians would hold that attitude although one probably couldn't get elected without pretending to know all the answers.Some more observations include:Openness leads to opportunity and incurs an obligation to advance in status and conditionAmericans display an astonishing proclivity to participate in politics; clubs and private associations.With mobility there is a risk of downward mobility.In America "rich" is a relative position; not permanent. A "class of rich men" does not exist.Americans reflect dedication and are at ease with religion.Americans are energetic - the most necessary thing is not sinking in the world.Not everyone enjoys the same opportunity.Participation strengthens underlying democracy.People are more willing to support public endeavors when incomes are rising.Americans display a love of well being;America is classless with a proclivity towards equality of condition.Preparing a chapter in 'Democracy in America'; he says 'All honest callings are considered honorable'.In France areas with the most improvements were the cause of most subsequent problems.Americans display a "restlessness of temper" and "fervish ardor". [does he mean feverish?]He observed a slow rise of wages; saying as wages rise social conditions become more equal.Abuses remedied draw attention to others.T demonstrates his ability to turn a phrase with "virtuous materialism".He observes large numbers of foreign born inhabitants in the US.T makes no stale static analyses. He leaves the reader of each century to draw our own implications for our own time. T is not always consistent; but that's part of his charm. In his letters he asks many questions. One would like to read some of the responses. There are only first hand observations substantiating his premise that experience is better than books. This is a valuable reference and serves as motivation to read 'Democracy in America.' It illustrates that; in spite of T's all too human faults; he well deserves his reputation as an acute perceptive observer.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Marvellous; insightful; funnyBy N.. MartinI made the mistake of leaving this on my shelf for months. Turns out it is one of the best reads I've encountered in ages. Tocqueville and his companion Beaumont are invariably smart; perspicacious; warm; and witty. What wonderful bloggers they would be. Tocqueville doesn't always hit the mark; but his accuracy percentage is remarkably high. There was little of merit that escaped his attention; and his interpretative ability continues to astound. He's also a fair enough wit to have me laughing out loud from time to time. His letters to his sister are particularly interesting and amusing. The book is a worthy companion to his famous book; and it stands well on its own. Sometimes the translation seems almost too good to be true.7 of 8 people found the following review helpful. A fresh look at the New WorldBy Guillermo MaynezDuring their nine-month journey through the United States in 1831; Tocqueville and his companion-friend Gustave de Beaumont wrote several letters which illustrate thier opinions on the new and exciting phenomena they were encountering. Perhaps the most interesting part is the two-week trip they undertook; with the aim of finding "the last frontier"; the remotest corner colonized to that date by Europeans within the US territory. They travelled by land to Buffalo; from which they sailed through the Eerie lake to Detroit; from where they rode to Saginaw; in the Michigan peninsula. As it was to be expected; Tocqueville mixes his travel observations with intelligent reflections on the possible future of the civilization that was beginning to take shape in those cold lands. One of the things that shocked them was that the colonizers were amazed and amused by the travellers' interest in finding virgin lands and seeing the indigenous populations. "Why look for forests? Come see our new town and the bridge!" Tocquevile sadly feels and anticipated nostalgia for those forests and those tribes which; he knows; will soon disappear; trampled underfoot by the rapid advance of the Western civilization. One of the most intriguing passages concerns an Indian who seems to be following them on foot. Whenever they speed in their horses; the Indian speeds too; marching at the same pace. When they pause; he pauses too. The situation becomes uncomfortable and even frightening; until at some point it stops in a funny way. Althouhg only a footnote to Tocqueville's masterpiece; "Democracy in America"; his letters are also a very good and entertaining source on information on this great observer of politics.
