W.E.B. Du Bois, the towering scholar and co-founder of the NAACP, dies in Accra, Ghana, the day before the March on Washington.
At a Glance
- Date
- 27 August 1963
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
- Key people
- W.E.B. Du Bois
- Category
- Civil Rights Movement
- Source
- Biographical records · Library of Congress
What It Meant Then
His death on the eve of the march symbolized a torch passing between generations.
What It Means Now
Du Bois's ideas remain foundational to Black thought worldwide.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “W.E.B. Du Bois Dies.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/web-du-bois-dies/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). W.E.B. Du Bois Dies. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/web-du-bois-dies/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “W.E.B. Du Bois Dies.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/web-du-bois-dies/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.