WILLIAM DU BOIS

William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was an

American social scientist. He was an expert specific to
sociology. He was also a socialist, civil rights activist,
historian, and Pan-Africanist. His fight for civil rights and
equality was influenced by his hometown, Great
Barrington, Massachusetts, USA. Their community
there promoted desegregation, the process of ending
the separation between two or more races. He grew up
with the tradition of seeing every race as equal and fair.
He was the first African-American to earn a
doctorate. He became a professor of history, sociology,
and economics at Atlanta University. Before that, he led the Niagara movement, a group
that fights for equality for black people.
He was really against racism. He strongly protested against lynching
(extrajudicial murder), Jim Crow laws (promoted racial segregation), and discrimination
in education and employment. As a Pan-Africanist, he helped organize several
Congresses to fight for the independence of African colonies from European powers. He
even surveyed American black soldiers, documenting widespread prejudice and racism
in the US Military.
Du Bois’ 1940 autobiographical text entitled Dusk of Dawn is regarded in part as
one of the first scientific treatises in the field of American sociology. The text examines
his own life and family history in the context of contemporaneous developments in race
relations.
Du Bois believed that capitalism was a primary cause of racism, and he was
generally sympathetic to socialist causes throughout his life. The United States’ Civil
Rights Act, embodying many of the reforms for which Du Bois had campaigned his
entire life, was enacted a year after his death.

APPLYING DU BOIS’ PRINCIPLES TODAY

Even though a lot of social scientists already fought for racism, inequality, and
discrimination before, these issues are still prominent until now. We still deal with these
problems, particularly for our indigenous groups here in the Philippines and the
LGBTQ+ community. Their ideas, especially Du Bois’, are amazing to know. You could
learn from his ideologies and principles in life. And these would be helpful in today’s life
if people are just willing to apply it. We all know that racial discrimination incidents have
already decreased in the past few years. Laws and constitutions of today have already
promoted equality and encourage fairness in treatment, especially in employment as
sociologists influenced governments. Yet, there are still minor and local issues about it,
and we should not take these just for granted. It may become a huge issue soon. That
is why we need to immediately suppress these inappropriate acts. It is on us on how we
will end these racist acts. Experts of the past have already given us inspiration and
solutions to solve this kind of issue, so application to them with initiative, particularly in
Du Bois’ ideas, is only what we need to make the world a better place to live.

AS SOCIAL SCIENTIST OF THE FUTURE

If I become a social scientist in the future, I will continue the principles of William
Du Bois. I will first look at bullying and cyberbullying, as these are very prominent in
today’s generation. Racism against indigenous people is one of the things that I will not
let to happen. Through education, I will teach people through formal schooling,
seminars, and symposium about bullying and discrimination and how it may affect future
generations. Degrading one another means pulling the whole community down, and
progression will be hindered. Prosperity and growth will not be possible if we keep
destroying one’s dignity and confidence. I will encourage everyone to promote unity, as
this will be our weapon towards success in the future, expelling poverty, corruption, and
crime in our communities. When everyone unites, everything will be much easier to do
and make, and development will pave its way towards us.