The first African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard, W.E.B. Du Bois (February 23, 1868 – August 27, 1963) was a sociologist, historian, civil rights activist, author, writer, and editor. He was the leader of the Niagara Movement which sought equal rights for African Americans and was a founder of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People).

As a writer, Du Bois is best known for his collection of essays The Souls of Black Folk and for his book Black Reconstruction in America.