Originally publishedn in 1903, The Souls of Black Folk is a classic work of American literature by W. E. B. Du Bois. It is a seminal work in the history of sociology, and a cornerstone of African-American literary history. "Few books make history and fewer still become foundational texts for the movements and struggles of an entire people. The 'Souls of Black Folk' occupies this rare position," said Du Bois biographer Manning Marable. Du Bois's work was so influential that it is impossible to consider the civil rights movement's roots without first looking to this groundbreaking work.