The Souls of Black Folk, A Norton Critical Edition

This collection of essays on African American history, culture,and society probes fundamental issues of race and justice and documentsDu Bois#xC3;#xA2;#xC2;#x80;#xC2;#x99;s conviction that the "soul" of the black community must bepreserved and revered.#xA0; The text reprinted here is that of the firstbook edition (1903). "Contexts" presents a fascinating collection of political andbiographical documents related to the text. Also included are eighteenphotographs that accompanied Du Bois#xC3;#xA2;#xC2;#x80;#xC2;#x99;s 1901 article "The Negro As HeReally Is." "Criticism" offers thirteen contemporary and recent assessments of DuBois and Souls, rounding out the picture of this enduring work.

Farah Jasmine Griffin is Professor of English and Comparative Literature and African-American Studies at Columbia University in New York City