Du Bois, W. E. B.

Known as a sociologist, philosopher, historian, and activist, William Edward Burghardt Du Bois (1868–1963) was also one of the preeminent scholars of the 20th century whose work greatly influenced the field of education and curriculum studies. His polemics and lifelong advocacy of liberal, progressive, and reconstructionist views provided thoughtful critique as it deepened our collective understanding of school knowledge, race, and power for those working in the field of curriculum studies.

Du Bois entered Harvard University in 1888 as a junior. At Harvard, he earned a second BA and enrolled in graduate school, studying under legendary professors William James, Josiah Royce, and George Santayana. After receiving his master's degree in 1891, he studied at the University of Berlin and then returned to Cambridge to become the ...