W. E. B. Du Bois
W. E. B. Du Bois (1868–1963) was an American sociologist, civil rights activist, and author. A strong advocate of Pan-Africanism, he was the first black man to earn a doctorate from Harvard University and cofounded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). His best-known book, The Souls of Black Folk, is widely considered to be one of the most important works in African American literature.