W.E.B. DuBois

William Edward Burghardt DuBois (February 23, 1868 – August 27, 1963) was an African American civil rights activist, sociologist, historian, writer, editor, poet, freemason, and scholar. Although born in the United States, he became a naturalized citizen of Ghana in 1963.

Communism

DuBois was investigated by the FBI, who claimed in May of 1942 that "is writing indicates him to be a socialist," and that he "has been called a Communist and at the same time criticized by the Communist Party."

Related Topics:
FBI - Socialist - Communist

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DuBois visited Communist China during the Great Leap Forward and never supported famine-related criticisms of the Great Leap. Also, in the 16 March 1953 issue of The National Guardian, Du Bois wrote "Joseph Stalin was a great man; few other men of the 20th century approach his stature." As the evidence supporting the massive devastation resulting from the Great Leap Forward and the millions of victims in Stalin's purges and collectivization programs became undeniable, DuBois was criticized for such statements.

Related Topics:
China - Great Leap Forward

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DuBois acted as chairman of the Peace Information Center when the Korean War started. He was in addition a signer on the Stockholm Peace Pledge, which pledged the end of the use of nuclear weapons. He was subsequently indicted under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, but acquitted for lack of evidence. In his later years, W.E.B. DuBois became increasingly disillusioned with both black capitalism and the United States. He joined the Communist Party, USA in 1961 and agreed to announce this in The New York Times.

Related Topics:
Peace Information Center - Korean War - Stockholm Peace Pledge - Nuclear weapons - Foreign Agents Registration Act - Evidence - Black capitalism - United States - Communist Party, USA - 1961 - The New York Times

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