
Several of Du Bois' published works that have passed into the public domain are made available below in pdf format. These books and articles represent only a small fraction of Du Bois's writing, but give a taste of his early concerns and future directions. Several of these files are large and on slower connections, may take some time to donwnload.
Du Bois Central
Additional information on Du Bois, including links to the Du Bois Papers finding aid, exhibits, and more is located on our Du Bois Central page.
Du Bois in the Digital World
See also Selected essays of W.E.B. Du Bois for works on education, suffrage, and war.
Niagara Movement Digital Archive
A digital archive of approximately 125 letters and other items documenting the history of the Niagara Movement, 1905-1910.
A collection of over 850 photographs from Series 17 of the W. E. B. Du Bois Papers has been made available through our Du Bois image gallery.
Herbert Aptheker on Du Bois' legacy
Herbert Aptheker's 1987 lecture, "The Du Bois legacy: Reflections on his birthday," delivered as the first annual Du Bois Day lecture at UMass Amherst. The introduction was not recorded. (mp3, length: 28:35, size: 26.8 Mb)
Du Bois homesite dedication, 1969
Video (.wmv format) of the dedication ceremonies for the site of W.E.B. Du Bois' home in Great Barrington, Mass., 1969. Narrated by Ossie Davis and including speech by Julian Bond.
Du Bois: The Activist Life, an exhibit of the life and times of W.E.B. Du Bois.
The Exhibit of American Negroes, a reconstruction of highlights from an exhibit of the same name put together by W. E. B. DuBois, Thomas Calloway, and the Historic Black Colleges for the Paris 1900 International Exposition. By Eugene Provenzo.
I BELIEVE in God who made of one blood all races that dwell on earth. I believe that all men, black and brown and white, are brothers, varying, through Time and Opportunity, in form and gift and feature, but differing in no essential particular, and alike in soul and in the possibility of infinite development.
Especially do I believe in the Negro Race; in the beauty of its genius, the sweetness of its soul, and its strength in that meekness which shall yet inherit this turbulent earth.
I believe in pride of race and lineage and self; in pride of self so deep as to scorn injustice to other selves; in pride of lineage so great as to despise no man's father; in pride of race so chivalrous as neither to offer bastardy to the weak nor beg wedlock of the strong, knowing that men may be brothers in Christ, even tho they be not brothers-in-law.
I believe in Service -- humble reverent service, from the blackening of boots to the whitening of souls; for Work is Heaven, Idleness Hell, and Wage is the "Well done!" of the Master who summoned all them that labor and are heavy laden, making no distinction between the black sweating cotton-hands of Georgia and the First Families of Virginia, since all distinction not based on deed is devilish and not divine.
I believe in the Devil and his angels, who wantonly work to narrow the opportunity of struggling human beings, especially if they be black; who spit in the faces of the fallen, strike them that cannot strike again, believe the worst and work to prove it, hating the image which their Maker stamped on a brother's soul.
I believe in the Prince of Peace. I believe that War is Murder. I believe that armies and navies are at bottom the tinsel and braggadocio of oppression and wrong; and I believe that the wicked conquest of weaker and darker nations by nations whiter and stronger but foreshadows the death of that strength.
I believe in Liberty for all men; the space to stretch their arms and their souls; the right to breathe and the right to vote, the freedom to choose their friends, enjoy the sunshine and ride on the railroads, uncursed by color; thinking, dreaming, working as they will in a kingdom of God and love.
I believe in the training of children black even as white; the leading out of little souls into the green pastures and beside the still waters, not for pelf or peace, but for Life lit by some large vision of beauty and goodness and truth; lest we forget, and the sons of the fathers, like Esau, for mere meat barter their birthright in a mighty nation.
Finally, I believe in Patience -- patience with the weakness of the Weak and the strength of the Strong, the prejudice of the Ignorant and the ignorance of the Blind; patience with the tardy triumph of Joy and the mad chastening of Sorrow -- patience with God.
Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA.