How did W. E. B. Du Bois help and hinder Jessie’s career?
Certainly, Du Bois was instrumental in Jessie’s career and in her writing, but I think she was a strong, determined woman who, with or without the help of Du Bois, would have succeeded.
He helped her by giving her a lot of responsibility . She was doing all the work of an editor, but he was taking credit for it and saying she couldn’t have done it without him. He never intended to make her editor and he wanted all the power and credit. He kept her down under his thumb by using his charms and sex. The saddest part is that she never became an editor and she was so capable.
He helped her career by giving her the job. He hindered her career by controlling how she did her job.
I think that he helped her career by being aware of her talent and providing her with opportunity at The Crisis and The Brownies Book. He hindered her by not giving her credit in public for all the work she did.
Du Bois was very controlling. He came off as a good guy, but in one on one relationships he was a bit of a bully. He did however give Jessie her job and a lot of responsibility and control there
Like your response, Ricki. She had it in her with or without DuBois.
Yes, and she came to realise her strengths and act on them with admirable courage.
I agree Joyce. He never intended to make her an editor. He wanted power and he had it over her didn’t he? She wanted to be an editor, he wanted or perhaps better said, needed sex. That was obvious when the reader becomes aware of his other mistresses.
W. E. B. Du Bois helped Jessie’s career by providing job opportunities, but it was almost a false assist because he never really wanted her to excel TOO much. He saw her talent but did not help her to shine like he only wanted to crack the door open for her and let her peek but not open it wide for her to walk through.
Considering it from the current time, was he so scared that she might do a better job than he was able to do? He must have suppressed her qualities after she left the magazine because her name was not recognized in history until recently. Thank you to the authors that make sure that all men and women are remembered, especially when their contributions to history are so important.