Dear Dr. DuBois,

I hope that you are well.

Recently, I reviewed your book, The Souls of Black Folk, for a reading group that I attend. I was inspired by your discussion of the impact that racial differences have on the progress of the American Negro. I am interested in gaining further insight into your assertion that the perpetuation of racial differences throughout the world has hindered the advancement of the Negro race. You state, “the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color-line,—the relations of the darker to the lighter races of men in Asia and Africa, in America and the islands of the sea.”

In addition to the insight I gained about the Negro race from The Souls of Black Folk, I also wonder if as a race we can begin to think about the possibilities of a society that embraces difference. I understand that the color-line has greatly impacted the growth and development of the American Negro. However, I also believe that our cultural and social institutions are spaces that promote pride and greatness. For example, as I describe in “Characteristics of Negro Expression,” Negro art, literature, and cultural expression are rich and unique aspects of our struggle for a world that embraces all human beings. Our differences can serve as a way to promote a more inclusive society that accepts our unique culture rather than a society that strives to conformity.

Dr. Du Bois, I encourage you and other members of this great race to see our differences as the basis by which to promote progress and advancement in this country. I hope that you will welcome my thoughts and reflections on your work. As I mentioned earlier, I am grateful to the contributions that you have made to the causes of the American Negro. I look forward to receiving your response.

Sincerely,

Zora Neale Hurston

Questions:

1) According to Thomas Holt, it is imperative that scholars develop a language and a methodology that examines race within the context of time and space. What do the various characters that emerged in this week’s readings reveal about how race is constructed within the context of time and space? Do the assertions made by some of the actors in the readings, such as W.E.B. Du Bois, William Craft, and Zora Neale challenge Holt’s arguments?

2) In Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom, we learn that William Craft developed a plan to escape slavery that required his wife to disguise herself as a white man. How does this aspect of the escape plan help us better understand the relationship between race and gender for enslaved men and women?