<p>In <a href="https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/w-e-b-du-bois/the-souls-of-black-folk"><i>The Souls of Black Folk</i></a> the sociologist <a href="https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/w-e-b-du-bois">W. E. B. Du Bois</a> introduced the concept of the “veil,” a separation of the inner lives of black Americans from their white counterparts. <i>Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil</i> is a collection of essays, poems, and short fiction that attempts to provide a nuanced look behind the veil at the lives of black Americans and to give voice to their often neglected concerns.</p> <p>Written in the aftermath of the First World War, seventeen years after <i>The Souls of Black Folk</i> and during a time when racial tension had been codified into the infamous Jim Crow laws, Du Bois touches on a wide range of topics, from the philosophical to the concrete. His over-arching message is a desire for equality. He argues strongly against colonialism, excessive materialism, and Jim Crow, and discusses how only proper education and universal suffrage can provide the foundation for a more fair society. The unique combination of different writing styles on display vividly captures both his frustration and his belief in the possibility of a future shared on an equal basis between people of all colors.</p>