As the world becomes more complex, so do the tools we use to understand it. Students likely know that the ability to read and interpret statistics, charts, and graphs is an essential 21st-century skill, but they might not know the role graphical literacy itself has played in shaping cultural awareness throughout history.
W.E.B. Du Bois, the famous 20th-century historian and civil rights activist, used the power of historical research to call attention to issues of racism in America. Du Bois is well known for his essays, biographies, and books—but he also used visual mediums to show the realities of daily life for African Americans in the United States.
The following hand-drawn infographic was created by Du Bois and his students at Atlanta University to illustrate the socioeconomic conditions African American families faced in the early 1900s. Use this resource highlighting historical issues of race and social justice to bring meaningful context to your students’ literacy practice:
This primary source is part of ABC-CLIO’s The African American Experience database, a comprehensive survey of African American history and its struggles, major movements—political, social, artistic, and literary—and most notable events and legislative reform. Click here to activate your free preview of this database and gain access to:
- Nearly 8,000 primary and secondary sources including narratives, speeches, court cases, and quotations
- Biographies of famous political and social figures including W.E.B. Du Bois, Barack Obama, Frederick Douglass, Mary McLeod Bethune, Drake, and Oprah Winfrey
- Investigate activities to drive student inquiry into African American history as it relates to the present
- CLIOview tool that allows students to make comparisons between African American demographics and to graph statistical data in categories such as voter registration, household income, and more
