Life in the Black Belt
What area did DuBois call the Black Belt?
The Rural South, like Georgia
What does Du Bois notice about the education of Black children in the Black Belt?
Schools are underfunded and children often must work in the fields
What group controls land, credit, and politics?
White landlords
According to Du Bois, what is the center of Black community life?
The Church
What music does Du Bois describe at the end of the chapter?
Sorrow songs
What crop shapes the labor and life there?
Cotton
What school does DuBois work at?
Robertsville School
Why can’t Black farmers escape debt?
They were charged unfair prices and loans
What community role is most respected and powerful?
The Preacher
What do these songs preserve for the community?
History, pain, and hope
Why does DuBois say the Black Belt is rich of land but poor of people?
Because black communities were underpaid and exploited
What does Du Bois say poor students lacked besides money?
Books, supplies, and proper facilities
What emotional effect does debt have, according to Du Bois?
Hopelessness and loss of independence
Du Bois says the church is a space for freedom. How does it provide it?
It offers Political organizing, education, social support, and cultural identity.
Why does Du Bois say the church shapes leadership?
It trains speakers, organizers, and community figures