Black Reconstruction
An Essay Toward a History of the Part Which Black Folk Played in the Attempt to Reconstruct Democracy in America, 1860-1880
by W. E. Burghardt Du Bois
Russell & Russell, 1935, New York

CONDITION:
Fair copy, unmarked clean text and interior, no jacket, covers have edge wear, back cover hinge cracked, exowner name inscribed.

ATTRIBUTES:
Hardcover. No dust jacket. Bound in cloth.

DESCRIPTION:
This seminal work by W. E. B. Du Bois offers a comprehensive historical analysis of the Reconstruction era in America, spanning from 1860 to 1880. The book meticulously details the pivotal role played by Black individuals in the efforts to reconstruct democracy in the United States following the Civil War. Du Bois challenges prevailing historical narratives of his time, particularly the Dunning School, which often depicted Reconstruction as a failure caused by Black incompetence. Instead, he emphasizes the agency of African Americans, both enslaved and freed, in shaping this critical period, highlighting their contributions as soldiers, laborers, and legislators, and their pursuit of freedom and citizenship.

W. E. B. Du Bois (1868-1963) was a towering figure in American intellectual and civil rights history. He was a sociologist, historian, author, editor, and a co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Du Bois was the first African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University, and his academic career was dedicated to sociological research and writing, including influential works like "The Souls of Black Folk." Throughout his life, he advocated for the political, economic, and cultural advancement of Black people and was a proponent of Pan-Africanism.

"Black Reconstruction" holds immense historical and literary significance as a pioneering work of revisionist scholarship. It fundamentally reshaped the understanding of Reconstruction by centering the experiences and contributions of African Americans, a perspective largely ignored or distorted by earlier historians. The book's rigorous analysis and powerful eloquence, coupled with its focus on the economic underpinnings of the Civil War and its aftermath, make it a landmark in U.S. historical scholarship. Collectors find this book interesting not only for its groundbreaking historical insights but also for its enduring influence on subsequent scholarship and its powerful articulation of themes of race, class, and democracy that remain relevant today.

FLASHBACK TO 1935 WHEN THIS BOOK WAS PUBLISHED:
When this book was published in 1935, the world teetered on the brink, with Mussolini's Italy invading Abyssinia, Germany rapidly rearming under Hitler, and the Great Depression still gripping America, where Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal programs were in full swing. Meanwhile, the cultural landscape shifted as Alan Turing formalized the concept of the universal machine, and writers like W. E. B. Du Bois continued to advocate for civil rights amidst mounting global tensions. It was a year of profound uncertainty and burgeoning change, where scientific innovation and political upheaval reshaped daily life across continents.

Location: 01-05-01-438