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W.E.B. DuBois' Classic Souls of Black Folk
CENSORED!
By Ghayth Nur Kashif
18/04/2001
The works of Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois have been considered the most authoritative sources of African American history, culture, and philosophy. In particular, his book
Souls of Black Folk, holds the highest ranking among what is called the "Negro
Classics".
Thus, it is certain to come as a shock to lay students and professional researchers that this eminent philosopher was placed under enormous pressure to delete or alter certain passages in the 1953 revision of his book.
Although this issue has received little consideration by African American academic circles, it was brought to their attention as early as 1970 in a paper presented to the Association of Negro Life and History by Herbert Aptheker, a Jewish historian.
Aptheker, whose paper was later published in the January issue of the Negro History Bulletin (1971), noted that Du Bois alluded to such changes in his introduction to the 1953 edition. "Only in a few cases have I made less than a half dozen alterations in word or phrase, and then not to change my thought... but to avoid any possible misunderstanding today of what I meant to say
yesterday," he wrote (Aptheker, pp. 15-17).
Aptheker said, however, that the major alterations dealt essentially with references to Jews and that Du Bois initially resisted, but later submitted, to demands for such changes in the text.
Some of the alterations cited by Aptheker include the following:
"The Jew is the heir of the slave-baron in Dougherty.... Wine companies, mills and factories; nearly all failed, and the Jew fell
heir," in the 1903 version was altered to read "...immigrants are heirs ... most failed, and foreigners fell
heir," in the 1953 version (Aptheker, pp. 15-17).
"This plantation, owned now by a Russian Jew as part of the famous Bolton
estate,…" (1903) was changed to read, "This plantation, owned by a
foreigner...," in the 1953 revision (Aptheker, pp. 15-17).
"Poor whites and Jews have seized it [a reference to local land owned by Blacks]" (1903). The 1953 version reads, "...poor relations and foreign immigrants have seized
it" (Aptheker, pp. 15-17).
"The enterprising Russian Jew sold it to him, pocketed the money and deed and left the Black man landless, to labor on his own farm at thirty cents a
day" (1903). Identical words are found in the 1953 revision except "the enterprising Russian
Jew" is replaced with "the enterprising American" (Aptheker, pp. 15-17).
Given the innocuous phrases and clearly unbiased language of Du Bois' original version, one would suspect that those demanding such changes were clever practitioners in altering even minor historical facts for political reasons. In an ironic allusion to such manipulation, Du Bois even suggested in his original work that, "Political defense (for the Southern Black) is becoming less and less available, and economic defense is still only partially effective.
"But there is a patent defense at hand - the defense of deception and flattery, of cajoling and lying. It is the same defense which the Jews of the Middle Age used and which left its stamp on their character for
centuries." In the 1953 rendition, the phrase "the Jews of the Middle Age," was changed to read, "the peasants of the Middle
Age" (Aptheker, pp. 15-17).
Aptheker said that the pressure for Du Bois to make the alterations came initially from a close confidant, Jacob Schiff, but later from Rabbi Stephen Wise and Morris Schappes, an editor and historian tied closely to the publishing industry.
Some sources indicate that Du Bois was politely threatened with the prospects of being charged with anti-Semitism and boycotted by the publishing industry should he not make the changes in his book.
Quite obviously, the unearthing of these blights upon the work of Du Bois presents an uncomfortable dilemma for his admirers and biographers, but on the positive side, the exposure of these contemptible attempts to rewrite history at the expense of such a great historian should help to purge the African American community of its naiveté and complacency when it comes to rendering and preserving the historical truths and legacy of their people.
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