The Souls of Black Folk

Published in 1903, W E. B. Du Bois’s revolutionary collection of essays changed our perception of the African American experience. The text of this Norton Critical Edition is that of the first hook edition, which has been annotated. “Contexts” reprints an intriguing collection of political and biographical documents related to The Souls of Black Folk, sure to stimulate classroom discussion. In addition, the editors have included the eighteen thought-provoking photographs that accompanied Du Bois’s 1901 article “The Negro As He Really Is.” “Criticism” includes wide-ranging contemporary and recent assessments of The Souls of Black Folk by William James, John Spencer Bassett, John Daniels, Dickson P. Bruce, Jr., Robert Gooding-Williams, David Levering Lewis, Nellie McKay, Susan Mizruchi, Arnold Rampersad, Eric Sundquist, and Shamoon Zamir. A Chronology and Selected Bibliography are also included. About the Series–Each Norton Critical Edition includes an authoritative text, contextual and source materials, and a wide range of interpretation–from contemporary perspectives to the most current critical theory–as well as a bibliography and a chronology of the author’s life and work.