Sociologist and activist W.E.B. Du Bois is born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
At a Glance
- Date
- 23 February 1868
- Location
- Great Barrington, Massachusetts
- Key people
- W.E.B. Du Bois
- Category
- Arts & Literature
- Source
- The Souls of Black Folk (1903) · Library of Congress
What It Meant Then
He became the leading Black intellectual of his era and a co-founder of the NAACP.
What It Means Now
The Souls of Black Folk and his concept of 'double consciousness' remain widely taught.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “W.E.B. Du Bois Is Born.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/web-du-bois-is-born/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). W.E.B. Du Bois Is Born. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/web-du-bois-is-born/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “W.E.B. Du Bois Is Born.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/web-du-bois-is-born/.
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.