The Philadelphia Negro by W.E.B. Du Bois

• In Event: I'm with the Banned: Revisiting the OG's of Race and Justice Literature

Abstract

W.E.B. Du Bois’s The Philadelphia Negro is a pioneering sociological study that examines the lives of African Americans in Philadelphia. Using detailed data and firsthand observations, Du Bois documents how systemic racism, economic exclusion, and urban segregation contributed to poverty and social marginalization. His work challenges prevailing racial stereotypes and provides a nuanced understanding of the structural factors shaping African American life, laying the groundwork for future social research and policy reform.

Author

• Jason M. Williams, Montclair State University