WORDS IN COLOR: HONORING BLACK LITERARY VOICES (PART 2) W. E. B. Du Bois, “Jesus Christ in Texas” from Darkwater: Voices from the Veil (1920)

Midnight Waters (digital artwork by C. Sexton)

William Edward Burghardt (W.E.B.) Du Bois' literary acumen is evident throughout his works, but one of his most unconventional pieces, in my estimate, appears in his 1920 anthology, Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil.

A standout from this collection is the short story "Jesus Christ in Texas," a rare departure from Du Bois' usual style. This allegorical tale blends fantasy and realism, imagining Christ's return to a small Texas town during the Jim Crow era.

This fascinating read juxtaposes religious hypocrisy and racial injustice against a backdrop of fantasy and realism with an added twist at the end. Definitely worth the read. You can access this story from Project Gutenburg or here.

Lesser-Known Personal Facts About W. E. B. Du Bois

• Du Bois was seen as private and aloof, but had meticulous habits, likely shaped by his upbringing in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.

• He grew up in a relatively diverse and tolerant community, with more opportunities than many Black Southerners.

• His mother, Mary Silvina Burghardt, was a domestic worker from a free Black family; his father, Alfred Du Bois, of Haitian descent, abandoned the family early.

• Despite his rationalism, he had a mystical side, often writing about dreams, symbols, and fate.

• Married Nina Gomer in 1896; their emotionally distant marriage lasted until her death in 1950.Their intellectual differences may have contributed to a strained relationship.

• Lost his two-year-old son, Burghardt, in 1899 due to diphtheria after a white doctor refused treatment.This tragedy fueled his fight against racism and inspired his essay Of the Passing of the First-Born in The Souls of Black Folk (1903).

• At 5 feet 5 inches, he maintained a well-groomed mustache and goatee and enjoyed singing and playing tennis.