Double Consciousness

Double Consciousness is a term that was formulated by W.E.B. Du Bois, an American sociologist, historian, and civil rights activist, who was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts on February 23, 1868. Du Bois graduated from Harvard University as the first African American to earn a PhD, and later moved to Atlanta, where he became a professor of history, sociology, and economics. He was also one of the major co-founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909. (wikipedia)

Du Bois first introduced the term double consciousness in 1903 in his publication titled, The Souls of Black Folk.  He believed that African Americans had to hold the identity of two different individuals at the same time, hence the term double consciousness.  "Double consciousness describes the individual sensation of feeling as though your identity is divided into several parts, making it difficult or impossible to have one unified identity."(kristin)

Du Bois was passionate with the racial issues that African Americans were faced with on a daily basis.  He believed that because African Americans lived in a society that devalued them and was centrally focused on the European culture it made it extremely difficult for them to form a unity between their American and black identities.  The constant conflict between the identities caused extreme stress and social difficulties.  "Our media sells us images of black men as athletes, rappers, or criminals and as a result white America perceives black men as such and young black males see these limited paths as their only options for advancement." (kristin)

I think his term of double consciousness is something that can be applied to the hardships and inequalities of any society.  Even women, for example, live in a male-focused society, therefore they have to look at themselves in divided manners.  Women who now have jobs that were once only available for men, such as the military, have a difficult time unifying their identities.  At work they must be strong, hide emotion, and keep the feminine side hidden.  However, at home, that same woman is gentle, loving, and caring.  The constant conflict of what role to take can get overwhelming and extremely difficult.