The Ward: Race and Class in DuBois’ Seventh Ward

This year is the 125th anniversary of W.E.B. DuBois’ book, The Philadelphia Negro. At 28 years old, Du Bois moved to Philadelphia with his bride of three months to begin groundbreaking research on African Americans living in Philadelphia’s Seventh Ward. Susan Wharton and women from Philadelphia’s College Settlement Association were instrumental in commissioning this research at University of Pennsylvania. Du Bois’ scholarship challenged the common notions of Black inferiority and social pathology. Instead, Du Bois revealed a diverse African American community facing challenges and capable of social advancement. His sociological and epidemiological study was the first of its kind to identify the problems faced by the African American community. Two decades ago, Dr. Amy Hillier began working on this public history project, The Ward: Race and Class in Du Bois’ Seventh Ward, and a few years later Dr. Stephanie Boddie joined her as the project co-director. Today, Dr. Hillier and Dr. Boddie continue to reimagine ways to recover and remake W.E.B. DuBois’s seminal work.

In 2023, Dr. Boddie and Dr. Hillier nominated Du Bois as a NASW social work pioneer in recognition of his contributions to social work’s understanding of race and racism as well as the role of the social and physical environment in shaping the outcomes of Black people and documented social and economic inequalities. Du Bois was among the first scholars to emphasize the person in environment (PIE). In Du Bois’ work, he acknowledged the strengths of Black people, particularly their agency and their contributions to creating the United States.  In September of 2024, Dr. Boddie and her Baylor colleagues launched a series of events honoring the life and scholarship of Du Bois.

W.E.B. Du Bois’s original version of The Philadelphia Negro can be found here. 

With over 60 students and resources from various funders, Dr. Hillier and Dr. Boddie have expanded the project to include various media.