Change Is Gonna Come. Week 43: Frederick Douglass and W.E.B DuBois

This week’s reading was heavy—emotionally and intellectually. We paired Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass(1845) with W.E.B. DuBois’ The Souls of Black Folk (1903), and the contrast was striking.

Douglass’ firsthand account of slavery is harrowing, beautifully written, and unforgettable. From his stolen childhood to his carefully guarded escape, his story exposes not only the cruelty of slavery but its spiritual damage to everyone caught in its system. His reflections on faith, suffering, and corrupted Christianity are especially powerful. This is one book I believe every American should read.

DuBois offers a sociological lens on life after Emancipation—Reconstruction failures, education debates, segregation, and his idea of the “Talented Tenth.” While insightful, his approach felt more theoretical to me than Douglass’ lived experience.

Both are worth reading—but Douglass, especially, will stay with you.

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