W. E. B. Du Bois

Robert A. Wortham is now retired from academia but was affiliated with North Carolina Central University for thirty-four years (1988–2022).

• ContentsList of TablesIntroduction: W. E. B. Du Bois—Pioneer American Sociologist Chapter 1. Du Bois and the Atlanta Sociological Tradition, 1897–1910 Chapter 2. Pioneering Efforts in the Development of Scientific SociologyChapter 3. Philadelphia’s Seventh Ward—A Demographic, Urban Sociological Investigation Chapter 4. Rural Sociology—The Farmville, Virginia Social StudyChapter 5. A Black Belt Study—The Unpublished Lowndes County Survey Chapter 6. The Atlanta Black Church—A Religious Economy Case Study Chapter 7. Prayer as Social Commentary in Prayers for Dark People Chapter 8. The Sociological Legacy of W. E. B. Du BoisAppendix: A Du Bois PrimerReferencesAbout the Author

Sociologists educated before the 1990s probably encountered the name W. E. B. Du Bois. However, it is unlikely that they encountered his work. Wortham outstandingly details why all sociologists should have direct knowledge of Du Bois’s work. The neglect of his contributions is a glaring example of racism in the history of sociology in particular and in American scholarship in general. Although Du Bois (1868–1963) lived a long and productive life, Wortham concentrates on his pioneering studies during the period 1897–1910… Du Bois’s work was not limited to race. To quote Wortham, “his empirical approach to sociology, grounded in data-driven findings and addressing policy matters related to racial inequality and quality of life, characterized his approach to the study of sociology generally and of social problems specifically” (p. 3). This slim volume documents why Du Bois deserves the titular designation as the pioneer American sociologist. Recommended. Advanced students.