PPT Selena Dillard

1. Chapter 1: Of Our Spiritual Strivings
 How does it feel to be a problem? This is the question DuBois explores
in the first chapter of “The Souls of Black Folk”. In this chapter, DuBois
describes the journey of the freedman during and after the Civil War
fought between 1861-65.
 DuBois begins with his own experience as an outcast when tells of a story
when he was child. In a group of children exchanging visiting-cards, his
card was declined due to his race. After this experience, he began to
realize that he was different from the other children and likened the
experience to being shutout from others unlike him and separated with a
“vast veil”. This single encounter changed his whole view of life. He no
longer wished to tear the veil that separated the two races instead, he held
individuals on the other side of the veil in “common contempt. He began
to compete with the others in foot-races, examinations, and even fights
determined to prove his adequacy.

2. Chapter 1: Of Our Spiritual Strivings
(continued)
 Dubois compares the feeling that he had towards the those on the
other side of the veil to those feelings the freedmen have towards
their masters.
 He continues on to describe the path through life for the freedmen
similar to a prison whose walls are “tall and unscalable”.
 Freedmen are described as having two souls or “twoness”; one being
the soul of an American and the other that of a Negro who wishes to
merge the two souls in order into one complete being.
 In order the change the perspective that freedmen have on the white
society, values such as work, culture and liberty must be allowed
collectively. Education would prove to be the catalyst that helped the
freedmen become vigilant and boost morale.

3. Chapter 2: Of the Dawn of Freedom
 What shall be done with the Negros? This is
second question considered.
 Soon after the Civil War ended the Freedmen’s
Bureau was established by President Lincoln and
Congress in 1865 as temporary aid to ex-slaves
to help develop and encourage self-sufficiency .
 After President Lincoln’s assassination, Major-
General Oliver O. Howard took over the
Freedmen’s Bureau as Commissioner.

4. Chapter 2: Of the Dawn of Freedom
(continued)
Pros and Cons of the Freedmen’s Bureau
Pros
• Free schooling for Negros
• Ownership of land
• Introduced paid labor
• Freedmen’s Banks were established and allowed ex-slaves the ability
to having savings
Cons
• Judicial functions were not consistent
• No relationship between the freedmen and ex-masters was
developed
• Promises of land for the freedmen were not upheld