"But back of this still broods silently the deep religious feeling of the real Negro heart, the stirring, unguided might of powerful human souls who have lost their guiding star...and seek in the great night a new religious ideal. Some day the Awakening will come, when...ten million souls shall sweep irresistible toward the Goal, out of the valley of the Shadow of Death, where all that makes life worth living - Liberty, Justice, Right - is marked "For white People Only."

DuBois makes it clear in his autobiography and elsewhere that he does not believe in God, and organized religion. In his test, speeches and fiction, it is impossible not to relate his devout work ethic and moral zealotry with some type of religion. Nearly all of his fiction alludes to religion in general, and almost all to Christianity, specifically. He is constantly discussing, addressing or referring to God in all of his fiction, and in many of his speeches and text. However, there is ample evidence that Dubious is not a 'religious' man as the phrase is commonly used. It is unclear if he believes in an omnipotent being, but it is ob

Many may argue that his fictional evocation of heaven and hell tell of his conscious or subconscious belief in religion or that it shows the contradiction in his own ideology. While one can try to disprove what DuBois stated and restated in his own words - even reiterated in no uncertain terms in the autobiography at the end his life, I find it easier to accept as the truth that he adhered to no religion.

"Yet we did build of iron, bricks, and blood;

The analogy of blackness standing in as a religion to DuBois is not entirely literal. Blackness or the maintenance of blackness to DuBois may best be understood as "resembling the applications of religious pursuit." For example, his social construct of blackness and a religious dogma correspond in the struggle to triumph good over evil, with right versus wrong. Atonement, however, is not the alleviation of a scarring evil on perfect flesh like it is in a religion, but is more the recognition of one's own shortcomings as a way to overcome them.

DuBois discusses God in nearly every single one of his works. It would be very difficult to prove, however, that in every instance DuBois had in mind, not the idea of God as a deity, but had his own personal concept of some "consummate existence" for Negroes, expressed by certain ultimate virtues, like Truth. However, in many instances, that is exactly the case. In his writing about God, he is not thinking in terms of "religious deity," but of a transcendent blackness. This simplistic concept of DuBois thinking of heaven and God in terms of a real manifestation of some of his more idealistic hopes for the future of African Americans can be utilized to reach a greater understanding of his work. Nowhere is this example more apparent than in the poem, "Children of the Moon."

The Children of the Moon, now too, have wings. They, like whites, are able to experience true justice and real liberty.

And again in "Dark Princess," he sums up his distaste for black cynicism. Lack of will, pessimism and work without education, are ways in which DuBois feels will hinder the Negro's progress.

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Missteps such as these can lead to "hell" for blacks. Like the Christian hell, it is the negative repercussions of not adhering to the true "Way," but unlike Christian hell, DuBois's is not one of punishment. As stated before, Zora is not condemned for her life in the swamp; in fact he seems to admire it. Zora was "wistful," and "dreamy;" she could "see right through people," and "see things other people couldn't." Her perceptiveness noticed Miss Taylor's dislike for blacks and her distrust and dislike for white was seemed defensible. As a tall, lithe, willowy figure, she was like a "brown bird;" quick, free and sprite. Although, Zora had to evolve into more "civilized person" the person she was at the beginning of the text was admirable. So turning back to the swamps was only "hell" insomuch as it meant that she would not be able to obtain true social freedom.

Lifting and lowering, waxing and waning,

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 3953
Approximate Pages = 16 (250 words per page double spaced)