Courtesy of UMass Amherst Libraries, Du Bois, W.E.B. "Letter from W. E. B. Du Bois to President Woodrow Wilson," November 1918
Description
This letter was sent from African-American activist and scholar W.E.B. Du Bois to President Woodrow Wilson in November 1918. The letter discusses the need to address the "race problem" both abroad and within the United States after World War I.
Full Transcript of W.E.B. Du Bois' Letter to President Woodrow Wilson
Transcribed Excerpts of W.E.B. Du Bois' Letter to President Woodrow Wilson
Source-Dependent Questions
- What do you think Du Bois’ intent is by bringing up to the president what he wrote in excerpt 1, the fourth and fifth paragraphs of the letter?
- When you read excerpt 2, which includes the 10th and 11th paragraphs of the letter, what do you think is Du Bois’ belief about how America supports the disenfranchised African Americans who have served their country?
- How does this letter compare to Du Bois’ other letter to U.S. Secretary of War Newton Baker? Do you think he has a consistent message, or does he contradict himself? Use textual evidence to support your claim.
Citation Information
Du Bois, W.E.B. "Letter from W. E. B. Du Bois to President Woodrow Wilson," November 1918. Courtesy of UMass Amherst Libraries, permission of use granted by the David Graham Du Bois Trust