African American Museum in Philadelphia Celebrates 6th Annual W.E.B. DuBois Day, Monday February 24, 2020

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All:

One of the most fantastic brothers that ever lived and walked the planet was William Edward Burghardt DuBois - aka W.E.B. DuBois.  Scholar, author, activist, lover of Black people, leader, co-founder of the NAACP, The Crisis Magazine, among others. 

The African American Museum in Philadelphia will celebrate its 6th Annual W.E.B. DuBois Day on Monday, February 24, 2020 - doors open at 4:30  - the Museum is located at 7th and Arch Streets. 

DuBois, who did the seminal study, The Philadelphia Negro in 1899 for the University of Pennsylvania, as well as Souls of Black Folks, and enunciated the Talented Tenth, as well as Dusk of Dawn, Dark Water, The Gift of Black Folk, John Brown - and so many others - books our children, and many of us adults need to read.  And for those of us who have already read his works, we probably need to read them again - especially The Philadelphia Negro.

DuBois was born February 23, 1868 in Great Barrington, MA, and passed in 1963 in Accra, Ghana. He was smart enough to leave America when it became clear that the government was going to try to silence him because of his beliefs and great influence.  Too bad he was not able to take Paul Robeson with him, who ended up literally being a prisoner in his own home in Philadelphia for also trying to save Black people.

DuBois attended Fisk University, an HBCU in Tennessee, and graduated from Harvard University in 1895, but could not get gainful employment, despite the fact that he had an earned doctorate.  However, he was hired as a consultant by the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia to do the exponential analysis of Black life in Philadelphia.  Nothing of its magnitude had ever been done - before or since.   I remember having to study it in school - even though I had no idea at the time that I would ever live in Philly or even attend Lincoln University.  Interestingly enough, my Senior Thesis was on DuBois and Marcus Garvey - two great Black leaders, and their clash over whether Black people would fare better if they went back to Africa.  Garvey was for it, DuBois was against it.  The white news papers, who were trying to undermine Garvey, made a big deal of it in their meanstream newspapers - including the New York Times.   Ultimately, the white uberstructure prevented the more than 12 million Black people from returning to Africa; ironically, DuBois ended up spending his last years there.

The NAACP is now 111 years old, and still standing for Black People's Rights.  Thanks to Dr. DuBois, we not only have that, but the many wonderful contributions from his genius.

That said, make sure you come out to the AAMP and celebrate the life of this great man.

Stay Blessed & 
ECLECTICALLY BLACK 
Gloria Dulan-Wilson 
eclecticallyblacknews@gmail.com


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