A collection of prayers written by Du Bois for students at Atlanta University, thoughtfully compiled and introduced by Herbert Aptheker. These prayers are deeply committed to paying attention to and caring for the inner lives of Black Americans. Biblical familiarity and agnosticity are both present in these autobiographical writings, uplifting the hopes and practices of W. E. B. Du Bois's life, while meditating on the still relevant question of how to make "a good life for all."
About the Author :
W.E.B. DU BOIS was a critic, editor, scholar, author, and civil rights leader. HERBERT APTHEKER was a colleague of Du Bois's and a historian of the Afro-American experience.
Review :
"This beautifully prepared volume contains seventy-one short prayers Du Bois wrote between 1909 and the spring of 1910 for the pupils of the primary and secondary schools and the university students at Atlanta University. Herbert Aptheker prepared them for publication from the original scraps of paper and has written a thoughtful, illuminating, and deeply felt introduction. The prayers show the range of Du Bois's concerns including the need for work and dedication to the cause of creating 'a good life for all on earth.'"--Sage Race Relations Abstracts
"These prayers certainly make a valuable contribution toward understanding more of the great Du Bois, the man who resolved throughout his life as the Biblical Ester did: 'I will go unto the King and if I perish, I perish, ' he quotes in one invocation. He seems to have fond the source of his power by being the instrument of a greater Power. Looking closely at what is presented in these prayers one can begin to arrive at Du Bois's own definition of prayer, leading this to the apparent conclusion that the man's entire life itself was truthfully a prayerful act."--Black Scholar
"Taken together, these fugitive pieces illuminate the deep spiritual values that undergirded Du Bois's political practice throughout his life. They also remind us of the breadth of Du Bois's vision and, even in his private musings, of the elegance of his writing."--In These Times
"An inspiring collection of prayers written by the well-known black theologian and teacher at Atlanta University. . . . Aptheker's introduction presents meaningful insights into Du Bois's life and ideals, such as his criticism of the organized church, his work and learning ethic, and his political and social convictions. These prayers unfold simple and universal values, and Du Bois's honest and realistic approach offers the reader something very tangible to grasp."--Library Journal
