In The Souls of Black Folk, W.E.B. Du Bois writes about a multiple consciousness he called double consciousness that is experienced by African Americans. Du Bois uses the term “double consciousness” to describe the hardship African Americans go through with their African and American identities. Today, African Americans find it difficult to fit into American society due to discrimination and racism.
African Americans experience double consciousness today that helps them to understand life from the white American point of view as well as from the African American point of view. They have this ability due to remnants of their historical slavery. However, non-African Americans did not see Africans slaves or their descendants as being part of the American society. Being eliminated from American society by others and having their African identities stripped from them has left African Americans today with two conflicting identities. According to Du Bois, “One ever feels his two-ness, an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder” (3). Thus, today, African Americans suffer from double consciousness.
Double consciousness is the type of multiple consciousness that is addressed in W.E.B. Du Bois’ book. He suggested that African Americans suffer from two identities that seem to be conflicting. Today, it can be seen that African Americans continue to struggle with finding their place in American society which involves dealing with the remnants of slavery such as discrimination and racism.
References
Du Bois, W. E. (1996). The souls of Black folk. Retrieved from https://www.gutenberg.org/files/408/408-h/408-h.htm
