Black History Month

Crisis

W. E. B. Du Bois

Magazine, 1910-1934

One of the founding members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), W. E. B. Du Bois served as publicity director and as editor of the organization's magazine, Crisis. Du Bois and the leaders of the NAACP were often at odds during Du Bois's twenty-five year tenure, each vying for control of the magazine's content. By 1918 Crisis magazine enjoyed a readership of 18,000 people. The far-ranging subject matter of the magazine included politics, science, culture, education, and art.

In his early years as editor, Du Bois focused on his diatribes against discrimination, particularly lynchings and disenfranchisement. He advocated the use of legal means – legal challenges, political maneuvering, publicity – to lobby for equality. He also treated the issues of crimes against blacks and crimes perpetrated by blacks. A longstanding source of editorial material was Booker T. Washington's accommodationist political views, which ran directly opposite of those of the integrationist NAACP. Another recipient of harsh criticism by Du Bois was Marcus Garvey, founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, another proponent of segregation. With the outbreak of World War I, Du Bois voiced his patriotism, urging support for the U.S. government. However, after the war, upon investigating the treatment of black servicemen, Du Bois decried the widespread racism black soldiers suffered at the hand of their white compatriots. This experience focused Du Bois' political interests on socialism, trade unionism, and international efforts for emancipation. But by 1930 Du Bois saw little progress made through any means and became disillusioned. During the Great Depression, through Crisis, Du Bois reversed his position on many issues, particularly segregation, espousing political, economic, cultural, and educational separatism. He also began to applaud such tactics as boycotting, retaliatory ostracism, and the use of threats. This new stance puzzled his friends and brought him into conflict with the NAACP. He was forced to resign as the editor of Crisis and from the NAACP in 1934.