In your discussion post for this week, please choose one text we have read so far (Units 1-3) and trace within it DuBois’s idea of double-consciousness. Give specific examples from the text of how the character/author/speaker embodies this dichotomy of being both black and American, how those identities create obstacles by being at odds with each other, and/or how those identities merge into a “better and truer self” (689). 

You may choose any poem, slave narrative, essay, etc. you have been assigned. To receive full credit, you must include quotation both from the writer you choose and from DuBois, and your post must be at least 400 words. 

Dubois recognized black people suffered and struggled with double consciousness because of their skin color. The concept of themselves come from what the superior race (white race) thinks or say they are. This is determined or thought to be determined because the white race was more dominant and blacks being the minority race. Double consciousness is saying I struggle with who I am knowing that you are just like any other man or woman but the fact that they say or treat you lesser makes one believe they are lesser. Fedrick Douglas really struggled with this concept of double consciousness. Fedrick admits ““I often found myself regretting my own existence and wishing myself dead; and but for the hope of being free, I have no doubt but that I should have killed myself or done something for which I should have been killed” (Douglas 355). This is Fedrick struggling with the fact that he is seen as a slave and of lesser class by his masters but also his own self-conscious knowing that slavery should be abolished and he should be treated like any other white man or human being in general. His self-double consciousness also served him well because he was able to understand his situation to get out of it through reading and reading the right material that would guide him to understanding certain words and movements/ revolts happening around the country to bring him to liberation (abolitionists). Also Mr. Hugh telling his wife in front of Fedrick that slaves should be reading or writing and that a slave that could read or write is no longer a slave served a purpose to further propel young Fedrick to learning and yearning to read and write even more. In this movement he also understood that slave owners had a perception of blacks and was able to see it through the white man’s eyes which would serve his purpose and liberation.  

Throughout history the, the powers of single black men flash here and there like falling stars and die sometimes before the world has rightly gauged their brightness” (Dubois 690). This statement tells me as a reader that Dubois understood the talents and abilities of blacks during that time, especially which they never got to showcase or when they did, they never received credit for. It will only be depicted just a few times throughout history, but we all know black people are pioneers for a lot of advancements today. 

One important point to note is that the styles of writing between the two writers clearly defer. Fedrick learned to write a bit later in his life, which made his autobiography sound like he was less educated. The words and writing style he used was almost biblical hard to understand compared to Dubois’ Harvard graduate level of writing really showed his ability to express himself in a way the reader can understand without having to think twice or do additional research. 

 written by Dudley Stanislas

Works cited 

Gates, Henry Louis, and Smith, Valarie A. “The Norton Anthology of African American Literature 3rd Volume 1” W.W. Norton & company Inc., 1997 

 

     In any other part of the world, language and the dialect of a region are key factors in a person’s heritage. So, when these identifiers are stripped from a people, what can they do to create a new outlet for what was lost? Music! According to Salaam, music was used as a secret language. This adaptation by African slaves ultimately turns into what Salaam calls Great Black Music- “GBM remains identifiably itself because it adapts rather than adopts all influences. It has the capacity to deconstruct, recontextualize, and supersede the "foreign" and even "antagonistic" origins of some modes of expression which it adapts into the music”. Having this secret language or “mother tongue”, that in time becomes a worldwide phenomenon, ie. GBM, helps African Americans create “a better and truer self”(Du Bois 689). 

Double-consciousness is a conception in social philosophy referring, originally, to a source of inward “two-ness” putatively practiced by African-Americans owing to their racialized oppression and disvaluation during a white-dominated society. The concept is commonly related to William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, who introduced the term into social and political thought, famously, in his groundbreaking The Souls of Black folk (1903).  Double consciousness changed into particularly the psychological challenge African Americans experienced "constantly searching at one's self thru the eyes" of a racist white society and "coming up against a country that has once again shown that it is despised".The time period also stated Du Bois's reviews of reconciling his African historical past with an upbringing in a European-ruled society. Over a hundred years later, double consciousness is now not confined to the lives of African Americans. Various ethnic Americans revel in this cut-up in consciousness even as trying to merge their particular cultural heritages with the values of dominant white society. By imparting an illustration of society thru its characters and their interactions with the arena around them, literature has been an important tool in the exploration of double consciousness. I choose to merge the concept of Du Bois and Douglass,  Douglass was born into slavery but he choose to learn to read and write for himself and for others, One of his famous quotes is Once you learn to read, you will be forever free, His struggle for freedom wasn’t easy he knew that reading would lead to his freedom. He thinks that it really meant to be a slave to learn about the world. Both of these civil rights leaders have lived and experienced a remarkably different life. Dubois was born free and his parents were free African Americans. Douglass and Dubois's education and upbringing was totally different experience. Douglass lived in the slave times. It was illegal for a slave to read and write. but both men do their best, these men kept their promise to fight for equality Along the way, the two clashed with other leaders of the abolitionist and civil rights movements. The concept of double consciousness is important as it illuminates the reviews of black humans living in post-slavery America, and additionally as it units a framework for knowledge of the placement of oppressed humans in an oppressive world. As a result, it has become used to give an explanation for the dynamics of gender, colonialism, xenophobia, and more along the race. This idea laid a sturdy basis for different critical theorists to extend upon.

This week discussion will focus more so on the concept of “double - consciousness” in the article “From the Souls of Black folk”, by William Edward Burghardt Du Bois. Du Bois was an African American that is famously known for many things including sociologist, socialist, Author, editor, and a black protest leader.  He defines double – consciousness as a “sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others…one ever feels his two -ness – an American, negro; two souls two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings” (Du Bois 689).  Therefore, white Americans find it hard to see black Americans as true Americans and Black Americans find it difficult to see oneself as nothing more than what were portray by whites. African American was not treated equally by the white society, which was the majority at the time and forced blacks to accept their belief system.  Double consciousness is like wearing a veil, it affects African American both physically and psychologically.

 According to Du Bois concept of double consciousness, Frederick Douglass’s experience one of most dreadful double consciousness between a slave and slave master when he was reading “Sheridan’s mighty speeches”. Douglass states, “the moral which I gained from the dialogue was the power of truth over the conscience of even a slaveholder” (Douglass 354). After reading Sheridan’s mighty speeches he understands the way white thinks and how little they think of blacks. Furthermore, he discovered proof of human rights; rights that were taken from him and his fellow slaves. While reading the article he lives life through someone else perspective which in this case was his master. Even though Douglass was a slave, and it was prohibited for a slave to read or write, it did not hinder, nor did it stop Douglass from becoming a better version of himself.  It became difficult for Douglass to ignore the fact that he now understands how the whites thinks. Nevertheless, looking through the white man's scope, Douglass struggled to live up to the white man standards because he now understands his true potential in life.

Douglass also experiences double consciousness much earlier in his life when Mr. Auld said some hurtful truth about slaves. Mr. Auld told Mrs. Auld to stop teaching him immediately. Mr. Auld states, “if you give a nig*** an inch, he will take an ell. A nig*** should know nothing but to obey his master – to do, as he is told to do” (Douglass 351).  Mr. Auld describe how white society portray African American. He thinks if an African American get a taste of knowledge, he will be unstoppable. Douglass proves that to be true, he stops at nothing to acquired knowledge even in the darkest times of his life. Furthermore, whites only see Douglass as a slave, and he should only do as he is told, no questioning. 

Du Bois believed that black and white are not treated equally and whether you can see it or not, there is a color line. This prevents black to fully strive for success and hinder their true potential as human being. Du Bois states, “he simply wishes to make it possible for a man to be both a negro and an American, without being cursed and spit upon by his fellows, without having the doors of opportunity closed roughly in his face” (Du Bois 690). He is hoping that African American are treated equally, and they should be given the same opportunity as the whites. 


By Hugh Richards

 

Equiano focused on culture throughout his writing.  He had value for himself when it came to his civilization and humanity. During his time of enslavement, he kept his real name and remained positive in hoped of freedom. His time during slavery consisted of mastering the white individual’s technology to benefit himself in the future. He believed in ending the slave trade and educating the public. DuBois’s idea of double consciousness could be applied in Equiano’s writing when discussing his dedication to his culture but uses his economic status to eventually obtain freedom of citizenship. He can see both sides of the different cultures. He wanted better treatment of slaves and used his status to appeal others to follow his lead. He ultimately can explain the different views between both sides. He often referred to himself as higher than other Africans that were not as fortunate as him to retrieve freedom. He stated, “when I compare my lot with that of most of my countrymen, I regard myself as a particular favourite of Heaven” (Equiano 115).  He is viewing himself as experiencing double conciseness within both sides of race. He refers to himself as higher than more Africans and relating his lifestyle closer to a white individual. 

                After reading this idea from DuBois I immediately started to think of Olaudah Equiano’s account of his time in Africa. Olaudah’s writing was a realization of DuBois idea. Olaudah has used Stand American English (SAE) as described in the ‘Vernacular Tradition,’ to describe the culture in his home village. Furthermore, Olaudah was comparing the culture he came from to that of the Jewish and English culture. 

                Olaudah learned literacy while he was in England, therefore SAE sort of applies but for the sake of this discussion, Olaudah had learned Standard English English (SEE). The use of SEE helped Olaudah to close the gap between both lenses by being his tools to allow him to communicate to the people around him, the culture he was taken from, in an intelligent and extremely eloquent manor. This helped him catch the attention of the higher educated classes in England. This becomes evident in reading his story. 

                Olaudah also applied DuBois’ idea to the Europeans with comparing his culture to that of the Jewish culture. Olaudah writes “[he] cannot forbear suggesting what has long struck [him] very forcibly, namely, the strong analogy which even by this sketch, imperfect as it is, appears to prevail in the manners and customs of [his] countrymen and those of the Jews” (123). This quote shows Europeans do not have to think of the Africans as separate, and that the culture to which he is from is like that of European and Jewish culture. This also furthers the alignment of the lenses Dubois was writing about for the Africans, weather in American or Britain.

DuBois suggests that the experience of dual consciousness is also a direct cause of how black Americans view themselves based on the opinions and influence of white oppressors. In his piece, The Souls of Black Folk, DuBois writes, “But the facing of so vast a prejudice could not but bring the inevitable self-questioning, self-disparagement, and lowering of ideals which ever accompany repression and breed in an atmosphere of contempt and hate”. (692) Understandably, the false beliefs, prejudice, and abuses practiced in the United States against black people became a major influence in the development of the self-consciousness, self-esteem, and identity of all black Americans for generations. This would appear to be especially difficult for W.E.B. DuBois who graduated with a Ph.D. from Harvard University and was the first African American to earn a doctoral degree.

I believe Frederick Douglas, also incredibly intelligent and talented, had great difficulty struggling with dual consciousness as well.  He describes his experiences of struggling with dual consciousness as starting when he began to read proficiently. Douglas describes living with blissful ignorance until he was able to read and learn arguments about basic human rights from the book, “The Columbian Orator”:

There was no getting rid of it. It was pressed upon me by every object within sight or hearing, animate or inanimate…Freedom now appeared, to disappear no more forever. It was heard in every sound and seen in everything. It was ever present to torment me with a sense of my wretched condition. I saw nothing without seeing it. I heard nothing without hearing it and felt nothing without feeling. (354-355)

Once Douglas was able to educate himself it opened a pandora’s box of information that changed his understanding of his entire existence. He was now able to see exactly how horrific the slave experience was not based only on what he witnessed and experienced, but he now had contextual evidence of the profound disparities in the lives of slaves and non-slaves. 

 

 

 

Venture Smith, born around 1729 was the son of a prince and sold into slavery at a very young age. Dubois idea of double-consciousness can be shown through the life events of Venture Smith, for example he was taught how to read and write which not many slaves were. The idea of double-consciousness sets in here as Smith sees himself as a normal person in America who can read and write but because of his skin color there is also a part of his mind which thinks himself to be less than the average human. This is because the view white people had on black people, which was being property and viewed as less. So, in some regard Smith also saw himself as that in some part of consciousness. “Smith arranged to have himself sold again, to a man who allowed Smith to hire his time as a wood cutter, farmer, and fisherman so he could raise the money for his purchase price” (Venture Smith 94). We can see here again how Smith tries to be himself and do what he feels is right even in such dire circumstances. The duality here is that Smith knows what he's trying to do is weird or not considered to be right in the view of the white masters, but the other part of Smith's Consciousness wants to upset them, to show even a little rebellion.

For this week’s discussion board, I will be choosing Frederick Douglass to trace with W.E.B. DuBois’s idea of double-consciousness. The reason I chose Frederick Douglass is because of the way he was treated differently, both early on in his childhood and later on, and the way he lived life as compared to DuBois. DuBois describes double-consciousness as a "sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others... One ever feels his two-ness- an American, a Negro; two souls two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings" (689). What DuBois is trying to say is that by looking through the eyes of the white majority nation, a black person will be ‘looked down’. DuBois indicates that in the second half by saying you are in essence ‘forced’ to see yourself as a black man, or “a Negro” as DuBois describes it, rather than just view yourself as any other human or “American”. Dubois did not see African Americans as such but believed in each one of them based on who they really were rather than just off their skin color. Hence, treated them equally as well. In addition, one of DuBois’s ideas is also that due to the minority of black people being treated as not equal beings and lacking self-consciousness, they begin to believe that they really are inferior instead of recognizing themselves as beings of “better and truer self” (689). He further adds to it by describing, “The Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world, -a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world” (689).

On the other hand, Frederick Douglass also experiences double-consciousness by experiencing a phase of being treated unequally during his childhood and latter years, which eventually led to him escaping slavery and leading an abolitionist movement. During Douglass’s time as a slave, he was taught how to read and write by one of his mistresses, Mrs. Auld. Upon getting caught, Mr. Auld said, If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell. A nigger should know nothing but to obey his master - to do as he is told to do. Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world” (351). This is also a quote I used in my essay that characterizes the way Douglass and other black people, slaves, are seen. Mr. Auld is trying to infer that by black people learning literacy will no longer be controllable. They will not be content with what is being taught either but will try to take advantage. This shows how differently those people of color are treated when compared to any other human, even the white kids that Douglass took advantage of trying to learn to read and write further from. This goes in accordance to DuBois’s idea of double-consciousness as they are prohibited from learning to read and write, for doing so will allow for colored people to be recognized as beings “better and truer self” (689).

Booker T. Washington faced a similar dilemma while in a classroom for the first time.  He did not have a surname and felt honored to be able to name himself. It was during this time that Booker questioned the advantages of having a family name with accompanying legacy, land, and wealth and how it affects the performance and expectations of a young black boy in America. He questioned whether he would have used his rich ancestry as a crutch if he was afforded one like a white boy. Booker went on to say that “the world should not pass judgment upon the Negro, and especially the Negro youth, too quickly and too harshly. The Nego boy has obstacles, discouragements, and temptations to battle with that are little known to those not situated as he is” (562). 

W.E.B. DuBois mentioned that American only let a black men value their self-worth based on how they value the self-worth of a white man.  But Booker said that how can this be when the Negro youth starts out with the expectation that he is going to fail, and the white youth starts out with the expectation that he is going to fail. Booker went on the say that people are usually surprised if the black boy succeeds. As a result of this, a black youth should not measure his success to that of a white man as a white man has family history and connections behind him to help him success.  A white man does not face the same obstacles that are laid out in front of a black man. There are no restrictions or limits placed on him. While black boys must work harder and better to get recognition. 
 
 

                             The text I choose to discuss this week is called “ Aint  a woman”? written by Sojourner Truth. I find her work very interesting because of the tone in her writing. It is very stern to my knowledge because during this time, her speech was critiquing society and that was out of the normal especially coming from an African American woman. This text’s purpose was to persuade the audience to allowing women to vote should just be common sense. Truth raised the argument of the male’s perspective that women are fragile and because they need to always be helped and must be put on some sort of pedestal. “And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?”(Truth,180)  

Truth states that she worked just as hard as any man why should she not have the rights to complement that? This quote has impacted me because she used her experience as a black woman, a mother and proves that she is just as hard working as any man out there. After reading about Dubious idea of double consciousness, it is safe to say that Truth encompasses that of which he refers to. For example, he states “We still seek, - the freedom to love and aspire. Work, culture, liberty- all these we need, not singly but together, not successively but together, each growing...” (Dubois 693) Truth is an example of someone at the time who was fighting for rights and freedom, and she made sure it was known as she addressed the audience. She wasn’t only fighting for the rights of black women but those of all colors.  

After reading texts from the past, I often analyze and reflect on how far we have come in today’s especially women of color. I currently work for a company where women weren’t even allowed in their building- they had to wait in a special “tea room” or outside of the building so that they do not interrupt their husbands while they worked. As I toured the building it made me very emotional because the same issues Truth had to face in 1851, the women in the 1960’s had to do that as well.  

- Rajni Bhoodram

In his autobiography, Douglass talks a lot about the power that learning to read and write gave him. Without having Mrs. Auld teach him the alphabet, he may not have ever made it out of slavery, and attributes his freedom and success to the fact that he'd had the tools to learn to read and write and access knowledge. Dubois also discusses the idea that knowledge is power  saying, "...for the South believed an educated Negro to be a dangerous Negro. And the South was not wholly wrong; for education among all kinds of men always has had, and always will have, an element of danger and revolution, of dissatisfaction and discontent." (15). The reason why so many white people were against the education of their black counterparts is because they knew the power that knowledge holds. This notion is reflected in Douglass's experiences as well when Mr. Auld finds out his wife is teaching him his ABC's and states," “if you teach that n****r (speaking of myself) how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master. " (29). Once again highlighting that being education is key when it comes to either lifting yourself out of oppression or keeping people oppressed. 

Dual consciousness comes into play for Douglass once he does know how to read and write and for the first time is able to learn more about slavery from a different perspective. “In moments of agony, I envied my fellow-slaves for their

stupidity." (35).  It's in this light that Douglass experiences dual consciousness and has to straddle the line between slave and aspiring abolitionist. About dual consciousness DuBois says that it's the "sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others . . ." (689) which applies to what Douglass experiences once reading about slavery once he knows how to read. Being able to see slavery from a new vantage point forced a whole different understanding and caused a split between his two 'identities'.

While many slave narratives ended with the eventual death of the enslaved individual, Equiano took charge of his story and obtained an education through his first slave owner, which led to his being able to work as an accountant for his final slave owner, rather than in the fields. In showing his worth through knowledge, he embraced the American ideology of school, albeit in London, and by not stopping his education, it allowed him to go against the norm by embracing the role of an educated American, which eventually allowed him to write his book. The narrative itself stands as a stark reminder of the differences between his two lives, the man who he became and the boy he was before his capture and enslavement. Equiano also held his own religious beliefs, evidenced with the regard he shows for his cultural upbringing, versus the way he describes his conversion to Christianity as almost procedural, and something that he had to create for himself, rather than something that comes naturally. 

The poem "We Wear the Mask" by Paul Dunbar discusses what it's like to belong to an oppressed community. The speaker belongs to a group of people who are forced to hide their genuine emotions all the time to appear joyful to the outside world. In the first stanza, 'We wear the mask that grins and lies,' Dunbar shows how they have drawn back their sadness and misery inside the mask and instead presenting only his teeth to be seen, to depict a happy soul and smile that is never genuine.

This is a rection that depicts an African American in the 19^th century after the civil war; life seemed to have been better as shown outwardly by others. Still, inwardly the colored was experiencing hardships and racism. Surviving racism and hardship is compared to wearing a mask by showing a happy face to the universe. The speaker of "We Wear the Mask" portrays intense and protracted anguish throughout the song. In this poem, the victims are described as having "torn and bleeding hearts," expressing "tears and sighs," and being "tortured souls" who are forced to maintain a perpetual façade of composure. But the poem also has a strong undercurrent of resiliency.

In line 5, the poet states, ' and mouth with myriad subtleties. He suggests that even though oppression and racism may be experienced, the Blacks have a high degree of deceit, if not the highest. They may not seem to enjoy the predicaments they are going through, but they are happy and feels the pride of accomplishment whenever they do and perform their crafts successfully. The mask cannot be optional or forced on them, but it is inevitable as long as you are a black living amid another color. Not that removing the mask is impossible; doing so would only be translated to not surviving; it is a requirement. 

In lines 6 and 7, it is realized that the oppressed are unwilling to show the world their tears, nor are they doing so, but the world is over-wise to analyze their mystery. Later, the speaker says, "We sing," even though "the clay is vile / Beneath our feet" and the distances they must go in it are "long," showing that even if the voyage is challenging, they can and will keep a brave face while going through it. This indicates that the group is resilient both as a result of and despite its pain. Additionally, this poem's phrasing implies that wearing the mask is a decision.

The speaker tries to dispel the preconception and reveal it as nothing more than a survival tactic. The speaker makes several allusions to their suffering throughout the poem, most frequently coupling it with the representation of the mask. The speaker reveals to the reader that, despite their outward look and how sincere it may seem, there is a perpetual state of anguish beneath their smile by saying, "We smile, but." In the end, the poem points out that being compelled to tell a falsehood also contributes to the suffering of tyranny. This cliche was used to defend slavery: if chained, individuals are handled well by their owners and can feel happiness, then slavery can't be so horrible, the argument went. - Samuel Theron