“The Souls of Black Folk” is a classic work about the struggle for civil rights. The book goes on to describe the life of those in the south, the poor conditions and the cultural practices of slavery. Du Bois talks about the living conditions that colored people were forced to endure, due to poverty and a lack of education. He describes the family breakdowns that were caused by poverty, and explains the meaning of the emancipation, and its effect, and his views on the role of the leaders of his race. Du Bois primarily criticizes Booker T. Washington for not insisting on suffrage and higher education. The need for education and suffrage become the main topic in the rest of the book.
I found that the teachings in this book are highly relevant for today’s world. It is always important to know where we have come from but I think the issues in this book are as valid today as they were when in the book. The importance of education, the importance of universal suffrage and being involved in the political process inherent problems when one group dominates another. None of these issues have gone away, and none of these issues have been fully resolved. I recommend this book for people to read and learn also. There are a lot of valuable lessons that lie in this book, and I encourage everyone to take time and read the book.
