W. E. B. Du Bois

William Edward Burghardt "W. E. B." Du Bois (/duːˈbɔɪs/ doo-BOISS;^[1][2] February 23, 1868 – August 27, 1963) was a very respected American-Ghanaian sociologist, historian, civil rights activist, Pan-Africanist, author, and editor. He was the leader of a group of African-American activists who wanted equal rights for blacks. Du Bois and his supporters opposed the Atlanta Compromise by Booker T. Washington.

Du Bois was born on February 23, 1868 (approximately) in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.^[3] He studied at Fisk University, Harvard University, and the University of Berlin.

Du Bois was married to Nina Gomer Du Bois from 1895 until her death in 1950. Then he was married to Shirley Lola Graham from 1951 until his death in 1963. Du Bois had two children with Gomer and one son with Graham.

In early 1963, the United States refused to renew his passport, so he decided to become a citizen of Ghana.^[4] Du Bois did not renounce his U.S. citizenship ^[5] and moved from his home in New York City to Accra, Ghana.

Du Bois died on August 27, 1963 in his home in Accra from natural causes, aged 95. Du Bois received a state funeral. He was buried near his home in Accra.

1. ↑ Lewis, David Levering (1993). W. E. B. Du Bois: Biography of a Race 1868–1919. New York City: Henry Holt and Co. p. 11. ISBN 9781466841512. [Du Bois] would unfailingly insist upon the 'correct' pronunciation of his surname. 'The pronunciation of my name is Due Boyss, with the period on the last syllable,' he would patiently explain to the uninformed.
2. ↑ W. E. B. Du Bois Center @Dubois mass (2018-11-12). "Image of letter to W. E. B. Du Bois with his handwritten annotations on how to pronounce his name". Twitter.com. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
3. ↑ Lewis, David Levering (2009), W.E.B. Du Bois: A Biography, Henry Holt and Co. Single volume edition, updated, of his 1994 and 2001 works. ISBN 978-0-8050-8769-7.
4. ↑ WEB DuBois profile Archived 2013-04-24 at the Wayback Machine at sociology.com
5. ↑ (Lewis, p. 841, footnote 39).