W.E.B. Du Bois was one of the most profound and influential African American intellectuals of the twentieth century. His tenacious engagement with racism, and his contributions to African American studies are unparalleled. Yet scholarly attention to his work has been sporadic and uneven. This collection of essays is intended as both an addition and spur to the current renaissance of interest in Du Bois's work. Interpreting Du Bois' thoughts on race and culture in a broadly philosophical sense, this volume assembles original essays by some of the leading philosopher, literary critics, historians, and sociologists in the field of Du Bois work.

Its three sections engage in a critical dialogue on different important theoretical and practical issues that concerned him throughout his long career: the conundrum of race, the issue of gender equality, and the perplexities of pan-Africanism. Contributors: Bernard Bell, Bernard Boxill, Segun Gbadegesin, Cheryl Townsend Gilkes, Robert Gooding-Williams, Emily Grosholz, Joy James, Manning Marable, Wilson Moses, Lucius Outlaw, Arnold Rampersad and James Stewart.