The Philadelphia Negro
Encyclopedia
The Philadelphia Negro is a sociological
study of the African American
people of Philadelphia written by W.E.B. Du Bois
. Commissioned by the University of Pennsylvania
and published in 1899 the work is one of the earliest examples of sociology
as a statistically
-based social science. Du Bois gathered information for the study in the time period between August 1896 and December 1897. In conducting his research, Du Bois went house to house and conducted personal interviews with each individual head of household. Du Bois combined his data with census
data to analyze the social and economic conditions of African Americans in Philadelphia. Du Bois discusses his methods:
Du Bois' use of horizontal bar graphs
is an early example of the use of information graphics
in the social sciences
.
Du Bois' use of graphs and statistics represents a bold effort on his part to infuse the field of sociology with aspects of quantitative science. This departure from abstraction is significant because much of Du Bois' previous work relies upon carefully crafted rhetoric. Here, the charts engage a different type of rhetoric - a visual rhetoric. The visual graphics and statistics speak for themselves; in doing so, they afford Du Bois a more explicit, visceral forum for expression of his political project. The Philadelphia Negro also makes extensive use of footnotes, which Du Bois frequently uses to editorialize or provide background information on individual subjects interviewed.
On many occasions after the publication of the study, Du Bois made reference to his strained relationship with the African American community in Philadelphia. In his final autobiography, Du Bois states that "the colored people of Philadelphia received [him] with no open arms" and contends that his experiences conducting the study "taught him that merely being born in a group, does not necessarily make one possessed of complete knowledge concerning it."
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
study of the African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
people of Philadelphia written by W.E.B. Du Bois
W.E.B. Du Bois
William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was an American sociologist, historian, civil rights activist, Pan-Africanist, author, and editor. Born in Massachusetts, Du Bois attended Harvard, where he was the first African American to earn a doctorate...
. Commissioned by the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and published in 1899 the work is one of the earliest examples of sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
as a statistically
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
-based social science. Du Bois gathered information for the study in the time period between August 1896 and December 1897. In conducting his research, Du Bois went house to house and conducted personal interviews with each individual head of household. Du Bois combined his data with census
United States Census
The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats , electoral votes, and government program funding. The United States Census Bureau The United States Census...
data to analyze the social and economic conditions of African Americans in Philadelphia. Du Bois discusses his methods:
In a house-to-house investigation there are, outside the attitude of the investigator, many sources of error: misapprehension, vagueness and forgetfulness, and deliberate deception on the part of the persons questioned, greatly vitiate the value of the answers; on the other hand, conclusions formed by the best trained and most conscientious students on the basis of general observation and inquiry are really inductions from but a few of the multitudinous facts of social life, and these may easily fall far short of being essential or typical.
Du Bois' use of horizontal bar graphs
Bar chart
A bar chart or bar graph is a chart with rectangular bars with lengths proportional to the values that they represent. The bars can be plotted vertically or horizontally....
is an early example of the use of information graphics
Information graphics
Information graphics or infographics are graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge. These graphics present complex information quickly and clearly, such as in signs, maps, journalism, technical writing, and education...
in the social sciences
Social sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
.
Du Bois' use of graphs and statistics represents a bold effort on his part to infuse the field of sociology with aspects of quantitative science. This departure from abstraction is significant because much of Du Bois' previous work relies upon carefully crafted rhetoric. Here, the charts engage a different type of rhetoric - a visual rhetoric. The visual graphics and statistics speak for themselves; in doing so, they afford Du Bois a more explicit, visceral forum for expression of his political project. The Philadelphia Negro also makes extensive use of footnotes, which Du Bois frequently uses to editorialize or provide background information on individual subjects interviewed.
On many occasions after the publication of the study, Du Bois made reference to his strained relationship with the African American community in Philadelphia. In his final autobiography, Du Bois states that "the colored people of Philadelphia received [him] with no open arms" and contends that his experiences conducting the study "taught him that merely being born in a group, does not necessarily make one possessed of complete knowledge concerning it."