MSNBC: Mass. town makes peace with Du Bois, a native son

[Heidi]

W.E.B. Du Bois' life and legacy in Great Barrington have proven controversial

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40055503/ns/us_news-life/#

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — He's the most famous son of this quiet mountain hamlet in western Massachusetts. But until recently, people looking for signs of W.E.B. Du Bois' life and legacy in Great Barrington would have had a hard time finding them.

For decades since Du Bois' death in Ghana in 1963, the civil rights activist and scholar has drawn praise for his writings but scorn from residents upset that he joined the Communist Party, became a citizen of Ghana and often criticized the U.S. over race relations.

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But now, as Great Barrington readies to celebrate its 250th birthday, supporters say Du Bois is finally getting his due.

<snip>

Born in 1868, Du Bois became the first African-American to earn a doctorate at Harvard. He was a polarizing figure acclaimed for his commitment to civil rights and racial equality and maligned for joining the Communist Party late in life.

He wrote more than 4,000 articles, essays and books, many of which are now out of print or difficult to find. He also helped found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and remained an outspoken critic against racial discrimination throughout his life.

Many of Du Bois' writings and ideas continue to influence contemporary policy and thinkers. In the early 1900s, he posited that crime by blacks declined as they gained equality. And he described a "Talented Tenth" of the African-American population that would rescue the race from its problems.

[crim son]

1. I'm sure that's a very interesting article but you linked MSNBC.

I'm not going there until Olbermann is restored. Maybe not even then.

[Heidi]

2. That's up to you, crim son. (nt)