On W.E.B Du Bois

            As sociology students, we are taught that our great theorists were all European white males. We are taught that Sociology originated in Chicago, specifically the University of Chicago. I am sad, but not shocked, to learn that the school of scientific sociology originated with W.E.B Du Bois in Atlanta, Georgia at a segregated, small, African-American college. Although he was completely written out of the history of sociology, everything he discovered and proclaimed are still engraved in the canon of sociology. He designed the empirical way of going about conducting research so that sociological theory would rest on empirical evidence instead of merely speculation. He recognized class struggle, gender relations, family relations, work and occupational force, crime, economics, even power. As an African-American man, he understood why he was being suppressed. But, to this day, we still study all of the above social forces and turn to empirical evidence to prove our theories. W.E.B Du Bois claimed it was his duty to put the science in sociology. I believe he achieved his goal, considering there is still science in sociology to this day. The fact that he was written out just proves his findings further. Alexander tells us that sociological theory encompasses both empirical claims that could be the basis of tests and comparisons among theories as well as focusing on social life as a distinct object of study. The canon of sociological theory as well as scientific sociology, in my opinion, is rooted in W.E.B Du Bois’ perseverance and dedication to this discipline. Without his contribution, I don’t know that sociology would be the discipline that it is today.