IndexIntroductionContextSigns of the TimesResultsRelated QuestionsFinal ResultIntroductionWEB Dubois's life and career have been extremely multifaceted and prolific, and his breadth of talents and global citizenship span across disciplines . “While his contributions to civil rights, sociology, history, African American studies, and urban studies are universally recognized, his legacy in public health and epidemiology is not as widely recognized by contemporary health researchers.” Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay This article will provide an overview of W. E. B. Dubois' career and how his research and ideologies have benefited public health, epidemiology, and the African American community. I will also illustrate how the political, socioeconomic, environmental, and technological climate facilitated the adaptation of Dubois's values. Next, I will examine W. E. B. Dubois' personal philosophies and the adversities he overcame. Finally, I will discuss the effects of WEB Dubois's work and how his contributions have benefited the African American community and public health as a collective. Background William Edward Burghardt Dubois was born on February 23, 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. His parents were both of mixed heritage and were free people of color. During this time in history, many African Americans were not fortunate to go to school and receive an education. Luckily for Dubois he had the opportunity to go to school with white children and had access to a quality education. It wasn't until much later in life, when he traveled south to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1885 to attend Fisk University, that he first encountered racism firsthand. Seeing how African Americans were treated in the South sparked a fire in WEB Dubois and began to do so. defend the rights of African Americans. A dedicated scholar, W. E. B. Dubois received his first bachelor's degree from Fisk University, and in 1895 became the first African American to graduate with a doctorate from Harvard University. After completing school in America, Dubois studied abroad in Berlin, Germany. While in Europe, he perceived different beliefs about how to treat others in society and W. E. B. Dubois brought these ideologies back to the United States. W. E. B. Dubois went on to publish "The Philadelphia Negro" and "The Souls of Black Folk." One of the issues that thrust Dubois into the public eye was his opposing views with Booker T. Washington regarding the Atlanta Compromise. Dubois believed in equal rights and was not willing to compromise his standards. Another great achievement in W. E. B. Dubois's life was that he helped found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). WEB Dubois spent the rest of his life fighting for civil rights and, ironically, died one day before Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic "I Have a Dream" speech. WEB Dubois was one of the great intellectuals of the 20th century and his contribution to civil struggle rights, sociology and public health will be forever commemorated by humanity. Signs of the Times W.EB Dubois lived a very long and abundant life, spanning over nine decades. For the purposes of this article, this section will focus predominantly on the Progressive Era and how America's changing consciousness influenced the great mind of W.E.B. Dubois. The Progressive Era spanned from the 1890s to the 1920s and ushered in transformative reforms. As the 20th century emerged, America had a booming economy, hadjust experienced victory in the Spanish-American War and enjoyed a number of new inventions such as the telephone and the light bulb. A large number of American citizens were extremely optimistic about the future. So much so that the period between 1900 and 1910 was often called “the age of optimism”. But a growing number of Americans began to focus on the problems presented by the new industrial age. Problems that included corporate monopolies, mistreatment of workers, and overcrowding in cities. Citizens who sought reform on these issues were called “progressives,” and historians now refer to the period between the turn of the century and the outbreak of World War I as the Progressive Era. The following sections will lay out the political, socioeconomic, environmental, and technological advances that occurred during this era. Political Results. In the late 1800s the United States experienced rapid industrial growth. But this period of growth included corruption and inequality. Big businesses often used their growing profits and power to destroy competitors and form monopolies in the railroad, steel, coal, and oil industries. Corrupt city leaders, called bosses, accepted bribes and gave contracts and jobs to their political allies. The progressivism reform movement was born to fight greed, corruption, and other problems created by industrialization. Progressives, most of whom were from the middle class, wanted to improve the lives of the poor living in America's growing slums. Progressives succeeded in stirring up a public outcry against government corruption. Theodore Roosevelt was America's first progressive president, between 1901 and 1909 Roosevelt used his position to break many trusts, these were huge combinations of companies using their economic power to take advantage of competitors and workers. Roosevelt's Square Deal was designed to give all Americans the same chance of success. Roosevelt created the Pure Food and Drug Act to protect consumers and established the national park system to preserve the environment. Progressives also hoped to gain the right to vote for women. Finally, under President Woodrow Wilson, the 19th Amendment was passed giving women the right to vote. Socioeconomic. Despite all the improvements mentioned above, many people felt left behind, American minorities and new immigrants continued to face deep prejudice, segregation, and violence. Although progressive activists have succeeded in reducing corruption, improving worker and food safety, and increasing women's rights, widespread racial injustice and anti-immigrant sentiment have remained part of American society. Progressives aimed to improve American society by restoring equal economic opportunity and correcting social injustice. The industrialization of the new workforce made workers less valuable. Workers received low wages, worked in dangerous conditions, and worked very long hours. Child labor was also a very common practice. Working conditions in the mines and factories were harsh and dangerous. As people flocked to the cities in search of work, problems related to crowded housing and poor sanitation conditions increased. America's heavy industrialization and urbanization has produced a host of environmental problems. Natural resources were disappearing rapidly and the state of the environment was seriously compromised. The Progressive Era embraced new ideologies regarding the environment andnature conservation. One of the most influential environmentalists of this period was President Theodore Roosevelt. “President Teddy Roosevelt was an enthusiastic environmentalist, creating nature preserves and leading the movement to establish the United States Forest Service in 1905 to prohibit the sale of federal wilderness lands.” Technological. The technological advances during the Progressive Era were nothing short of remarkable and life-changing. The development of the light bulb, the automobile, the airplane, and the telephone are just some of the most important inventions of this period. The company was constantly striving to improve technology and upward mobility. Many people left rural areas or their homes in their native countries to work in the new factories of American cities. Large corporations spread across the country and America's industrialization and urbanization have transformed and shaped our modern ideology of city life. Related Questions How have the principles of WEB Dubois inspired your work? All of the above advances in society helped shape the progressive thinking of WEB Dubois. He was a strong believer in equal rights and I believe this was the foundation that characterized all of his work in public health, sociology and civil rights. Dubois is best known for his opposing views regarding Booker T. Washington's Atlanta Compromise. The Atlanta Compromise sacrificed black Americans in leadership positions in order to obtain stable jobs. Dubois, in contrast, stood for full equality, regardless of race, color or creed. How did WEB Dubois overcome adversity? WEB Dubois was greatly affected by the tragic death of his newborn son Burghardt and the harsh racism, discrimination and severe prejudice he experienced during his time in Tennessee and while living in Atlanta, Georgia. Dubois's firstborn died as an infant from diphtheria. None of the white doctors wanted to see the child and Dubois unfortunately was unable to get in touch with one of the three black doctors in Atlanta in time to save the child's life. I believe that overcoming his son's untimely death left a profound impact that followed him for the rest of his life. Black people don't die because they are biologically inferior to white people, they die because they lack wealth and accessibility to the same resources as white people. How have WEB Dubois' contributions impacted the African American community and public health? “WEB Dubois, was an African-American writer, teacher, sociologist, and activist whose work transformed the way the lives of black citizens were viewed in American society. DuBois was an early advocate of using data to solve social problems in the black community.” Dubois challenged scientists to reevaluate dangerous and erroneous eugenic principles in favor of investigating the real socioeconomic factors that undermine public health. Why were WEB Dubois's contributions to public health so important in this era? Dubois used his logic and intellect to challenge popular sentiments of the time. Eugenics and biological racial inferiority complexes were the general consensus. Dubois challenged racist rhetoric about biological inferiority by analyzing the social constructs that foster health disparities such as socioeconomic factors that threaten the lives and health of African Americans. “In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the dominant medical paradigm attributed any observed racial differences in health to innate biological differences between racial groups.” “Instead, Dubois saw racial differences in health as a reflection of differences in.