The Wounded World: W.E.B. Du Bois and the First World War, a Discussion with Dr. Chad Williams

Published: June 4, 2023, 12:05 a.m.

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From Dr. Williams\\u2019 website: When W. E. B. Du Bois, believing in the possibility of full citizenship and democratic change, encouraged African Americans to \\u201cclose ranks\\u201d and support the Allied cause in World War I, he made a decision that would haunt him for the rest of his life. Seeking both intellectual clarity and personal atonement, for more than two decades Du Bois attempted to write the definitive history of Black participation in World War I. His book, however, remained unfinished. In The Wounded World, Chad Williams offers the dramatic account of Du Bois\\u2019s failed efforts to complete what would have been one of his most significant works. The surprising story of this unpublished book offers new insight into Du Bois\\u2019s struggles to reckon with both the history and the troubling memory of the war, along with the broader meanings of race and democracy for Black people in the twentieth century.

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Drawing on a broad range of sources, most notably Du Bois\\u2019s unpublished manuscript and research materials, Williams tells a sweeping story of hope, betrayal, disillusionment, and transformation, setting into motion a fresh understanding of the life and mind of arguably the most significant scholar-activist in African American history. In uncovering what happened to Du Bois\\u2019s largely forgotten book, Williams offers a captivating reminder of the importance of World War I, why it mattered to Du Bois, and why it continues to matter today.

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Where to buy:

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https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-wounded-world-w-e-b-du-bois-and-the-first-world-war-chad-l-williams/18402495?ean=9780374293154



The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.\\xa0

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Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

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