Of Our Spiritual Strivings

Amanda Onalaja

December 9, 2010

AP English III – Pd. 2

The Souls of Black Folk is a collection of essays written by W.E.B. DuBois and other this influential persons. The first chapter, “Of Our Spiritual Strivings”, centers on DuBois coming to terms with our race’s role in America. A definite example of social realism, this chapter previews what many men and women of the African American brand had to search and sacrifice in times of slavery, how in many ways our liberation was truly not freedom, and how America would handle losing a resource it violated and humiliated.

DuBois makes a powerful statement when describing the “veil” he felt whites put up about him, “….no desire to tear down that veil… [I] lived above it in a region of blue sky and great wandering shadows”. He chose to overcome the limitations placed upon him by exceeding expectations, “that sky was bluest when I could beat all my mates at examination-time”. He compares his decisions to and actions to those of his peers, “their youth sunk into tasteless sycophancy or into silent hatred of the pale world about them and mocking distrust of everything white”. A positive versus negative approach is used, both in an attempt at pathos. DuBois’ felt knowledge is the greatest weapon against the mercy of their “superiors”; he believed a liberal education was the key to our race’s success. While others scorned the majority, he took academic action.

Being ashamed of who you are is highly discouraged, “He would not bleach his Negro soul in a flood of white Americanism, for he knows the Negro blood has a message for the world”, as stated by DuBois. How can one be African and American? “Two souls, two thoughts… two warring ideals in one dark body”. It was a battle amongst yourself, being a Negro slave. He goes on to illustrate how badly people wanted to bring these two different worlds together. Americans are always thought of as patriotic with fair skin, but why couldn’t Negro’s just be the ebony version? With the arrival of the emancipation came a bigger issue, suffrage. In order to uphold their freedom, Negro’s had to enter the government that corrupted them in the first place, lest suffer the chances of being enslaved again.. All in all, their freedom truly wasn’t freedom, “he felt his poverty; without a cent, without a home…” they were a handicapped people living with the little they had managed to secure.