How The Souls Of The Black Folk By W. E. B. Dubois Double Consciousness

In, “The Souls of the Black Folk,” by W.E.B. Du Bois, the ideas of double consciousness and the veil are a product of Du Bois’ experience as a child. When the girl in his school rejected the card that he tried to give to her, Du Bois came to the conclusion that he was a problem (Du Bois 2). Unfortunately, feelings like these were common for blacks in that era, as both institutional and structural oppression polluted the minds of many and resulted in a troubling disposition in the minds of black folks. The feeling of double consciousness that Du Bois experienced was undoubtedly common back then; however, blacks of that era simply did not have the vocabulary or knowledge to articulate their feelings. The roots of double consciousness are found in the strong feelings of wanting to side with America because he feels that some American ideals can benefit others, but he also did not want to, “bleach his negro soul,” as he knew that African Americans

could teach the world a lot as well (Du Bois 4). It would be simply impossible to abandon one or the other, as there is no denying the strife that comes along with the situation as Du Bois explains, “ One never feels his two-ness, -an American, a negro; two warring ideals in one dark body” (Du Bois 3).

The confusion felt by many is the byproduct of a race that thought emancipation would be the end of all evils towards them, but the racism continued to persist even after they earned the ability to vote. Evidence of double consciousness can still be found to this day, as blacks are still sometimes viewed as perpetrators of crime since that is the image given off by most of the rap music produced by black individuals. As a result of this, the tough process of finding your true identity as a black man can be difficult due to balancing the images of black men portrayed in the media and the ideals learned in school and possibly at home. That is, in my opinion, not nearly on the same level as it was during Du Bois’ era, but it still suggests that the double consciousness

exists.
The veil, another mechanism explained by Du Bois, can be used to describe the white’s inability to see the blacks as true Americans or the blacks inability to see themselves as anything besides what the white people thought of them. In the late 20th century, whites were making blacks feel like they are not true citizens through the Jim Crow Laws and segregated public spaces. The whites did this because that is the way their ancestors felt so they continued the disgusting practice. As a result, this mistreatment from whites most likely made some blacks feel like second class citizens themselves, as it is difficult to have respect for yourself when the whites of America acted as if the blacks were an inferior race. The idea of the veil explains how the two races were not able to see eye to eye for the majority of American history.
The theories of Du Bois can be used as a means of critiquing Descartes's, “cogito ergo sum,” as the theory or double consciousness contradicts the main tenet of Descartes's work. Descartes claims that if you have doubt, you are thinking, therefore you exist. This a an ironclad logic; however, in Du Bois’ work, he discusses how blacks have a feeling of double consciousness as they work to deal with their two identities, so when you take both sides at face value are they both thinking things? The idea that there are two distinct personalities within one person was not addressed by Descartes, so it could be used to critique his cogito argument.