When it was published "The Souls of Black Folk" revolutionized thinking about the experience of African Americans in the United States. It probes fundamental issues of race and justice, and documents W.E.B. Du Bois' conviction that the "soul" of the black American community must be preserved and revered. The text reprinted here is that of the first bound edition (1903). "Contexts" presents a collection of political and biographical documents related to the text. "Criticism" offers 13 contemporary and recent assessments of Du Bois and "Souls", rounding off the picture of this work.