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April 14, 2003

Black Cultural Center sponsors book discussion

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Black Cultural Center library at Purdue University is sponsoring a discussion of W.E.B. Du Bois' work, "The Souls of Black Folk."

The discussion, led by Stacia Murphy, will take place Thursday (4/17) and Friday (4/18) from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the BCC library. It is free and open to the public. Murphy is a psychology major from Indianapolis who works as a student coordinator for the BCC's theatrical ensemble, New Directional Players.

In "The Souls of Black Folk," Du Bois examines the problem of the color line in America by exploring relations between blacks and whites. He takes an intimate look at various issues confronting the black community such as class, religion, politics and education.

William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, a sociologist, economist, historian, orator, poet and author, was born in Great Barrington, Mass., in 1868. In 1888 he received his bachelor's degree from Fisk University. He then received a second bachelor's degree, as well as a master's and doctorate from Harvard University. He also studied at the University of Berlin.

After completing his education, Du Bois taught at Wilberforce University and the University of Pennsylvania before going to Atlanta University in 1897, where he taught for several years.

Notable works by Du Bois include: "The Suppression of the African Slave Trade" (1896), "The Philadelphia Negro" (1899), "The Souls of Black Folk" (1903), "DarkWater: Voices from within the Veil" (1921), and "Dusk of Dawn: An Essay Toward an Autobiography of a Race Concept" (1940).

Du Bois was one of the principal founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). His last years were spent in Ghana, where he died in 1963 at the age of 95.

Copies of "The Souls of Black Folk" are available for checkout in the BCC library. For more information, contact BCC Librarian Dorothy Washington, (765) 494-3093, or visit the BCC Web site.

CONTACT: Washington, BCC librarian, (765) 494-3093, dwashin2@purdue.edu.

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu


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