The Souls of Black Folk: Essays and Sketches is a work of American literature by W. E. B. Du Bois, published by A. C. McClurg & Co. on 18 April 1903. It is a seminal work in the history of sociology and a cornerstone of African-American literature. The book contains several essays on race, some of which had been published earlier in The Atlantic Monthly. To develop this work, Du Bois drew from his own experiences as an African American in American society. Outside of its notable relevance in African-American history, The Souls of Black Folk also holds an important place in social science as one of the early works in the field of sociology. (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0)