W. E. B. Du Bois was a public intellectual, sociologist, and activist on behalf of the African American community. He profoundly shaped black political culture in the United States through his founding role in the NAACP, as well as internationally through the Pan-African movement. DuBois's sociological and historical research on African-American communities and culture broke ground in many areas, including the history of the post-Civil War Reconstruction period. Du Bois was also a prolific author of novels, autobiographical accounts, innumerable editorials and journalistic pieces, and several works of history.

The Oxford W. E. B. Du Bois is a collection of Du Bois's works in 19 volumes. Each work is introduced by a brief essay by an eminent scholar and each volume includes a general introduction from the series editor, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Spanning over a half-century, this collection is essential for anyone interested in African American history.