The Souls of Black Folk · Chapter
The Souls of Black Folk explained
Du Bois introduces the central problem of the twentieth century—the color line—and articulates the concepts of the Veil and double consciousness.
What happens
Du Bois introduces the central problem of the twentieth century—the color line—and articulates the concepts of the Veil and double consciousness. He reflects on the sorrow songs and the spiritual strivings of Black Americans, setting the stage for the essays that follow.
Themes in this chapter
The Color Line
Du Bois declares the color line as the defining problem of the twentieth century, a theme that permeates the entire work.
Double Consciousness
Du Bois introduces the concept of double consciousness—the sense of always looking at oneself through the eyes of others—as a central experience of Black Americans.
Characters to notice
- The Narrator
Du Bois speaks in the first person, introducing his personal perspective and the overarching themes of the book.
Key passages
“The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line.”
The central issue of the 1900s will be the racial divide between white and non-white peoples.
This opening statement establishes the book's core thesis.
“One ever feels his two-ness,—an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.”
Black Americans constantly experience a dual identity, torn between being American and being Black, with conflicting aspirations that only sheer resilience prevents from destroying them.
This passage defines double consciousness, a key concept in Du Bois's thought.