The Souls of Black Folks and Modernism

25 May 2017: "I know it's a bit early, but I kept thinking you can see Modernism at work here." --a student in my class this morning, making a pretty cool connection between DuBois's The Souls of Black Folk and Modernism. I hadn't thought about this before--I'm used to thinking of the text as Realist--but so appreciated this way of seeing it. After all, consider the ways DuBois blends genres and incorporates both the personal and the academic.

"Dear Little Daughter"

16 March 2014: It's been a while since I checked in on the "Letters of Note" blog. Today I saw the latest entry, a 1914 letter from W.E.B. DuBois to his daughter. In an independent study I'm doing with one of our graduate students this semester, we read some selections from DuBois. I'm always struck by his poignant, elegant writing, his clear sense of what needs to be done for African Americans to succeed. His advice to his little girl in this letter--to a 14 year-old across the sea, studying in England--is just lovely and sweet and kind of perfect. Give it a read. I am glad that I did.