When one man’s relentless devotion spills into a cause worth fighting for

By Nicole D. Miller

A Revolutionary is Born

Painting the U.S. landscape in the mid-1800s were Jim Crow laws, openly dangling bodies from brutal lynchings, and suffocating racism clinging to the atmosphere. That is the environment that William Edward Burghardt Du Bois (called W.E.B. Du Bois) was born into on Feb. 23, 1868. Being of mixed race (his father was half-French & half-Black, and his mother was Black) and born to free parents, his lifestyle was more comfortable in Great Barrington, Mass. than many Black people’s.

His mother, Mary Silvina Burghardt, noticed her precocious son’s keen, active mind and set out to nurture it. In spite of the oppressive laws that prevented many Blacks from excelling in academia, Du Bois soared. He became valedictorian, obtained his degree from Fisk University, and was the first Black person to graduate from Harvard with a Ph.D. Despite his fervor for knowledge, the rising scholar still faced unflinching, disproportionate rules in academia when Harvard required him to repeat undergraduate classes he had already taken. Like so many predominantly white institutions (PWIs), Harvard did not believe that HBCUs’ (Historically Black

Colleges & Universities) education were comparable to white schools (though many HBCUs had white professors who were from Ivy League institutions). This mistreatment would be just one spark that would ignite Du Bois to utilize his intellect as a weapon in the fight for justice.

The Story Being Told

History is often told by those in power, regardless of whether their race resembles that of the protagonist. Yet award-winning screenwriter, director, and producer Rita Coburn is making sure this generation receives accurate accounts of Du Bois’s life in “W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause.” Inspired by a commission from Maya Angelou, Coburn set aside her intimidation of “the sharpest knife in the drawer” and began raising money in 2021 for the film. “I started chasing the story until it started chasing me,” Coburn recounts on her journey to create this epic retelling of one of the greatest minds of all time. “I didn’t blink when I started chasing it (the story), and then it started telling itself.”

With Maya Angelou’s documentary, “And Still I Rise,” under her belt as a director along with a prestigious network of literary champions, inclusive of Oprah Winfrey, Coburn’s mission was not just plausible but vital. She completed her due diligence by reading Du Bois’s writings, conducting interviews with Pulitzer Prize winners and scholars, and gathering her team. Five years later, a masterpiece was born just in time for the 50th Cleveland International Film Festival. It was there that Coburn poured out her heart passionately after the film screening, motivating the audience to join the movement just as Du Bois did with his writings.

​

A Personal Fight

What Coburn offers is a moving depiction of the private and public life of this legendary Civil Rights Leader. Though Du Bois was considered a part of the “Black Elite,” even he was not excluded from the ugliness of racism. In 1899, his son, Burghardt Gomer Du Bois, who was not even two years old, became deathly ill. In need of a physician, Du Bois faced the hard truth when searching in Atlanta for a white doctor who would serve Black residents. There were none. After being denied medical care from white doctors, his son died. That same year, the lynching of Sam Hose occurred in Georgia, where he was tortured and murdered by a white mob due to rape accusations. In 1906, the Atlanta Massacre had already occurred, stemming from sexual allegations against Black men, leading to white mobs attacking and lynching Blacks. In the aftermath of the Atlanta Massacre, Du Bois cries out in a written prayer, “Thy silence is white terror to our hearts.” All such incidents stoked the already-burning fire in the scholar-activist. At this point, Du Bois had experienced a personal touch of tragedy at the hands of racism and far too many communal ones. In reference to the lynchings, he reported, "One could not be a calm, cool, and detached scientist while Negroes were lynched, murdered, and starved." This was a different kind of evil. Something had to be done.

The Revolution Begins

Taking to his love of literature, in 1903, Du Bois penned “The Souls of Black Folk.” This book was an effort to display the humanity and intellect of his people. He understood that slavery had ingrained a belief in white U.S citizens that Blacks were sub-human. In order to dismantle the system, Black people had to first be perceived as human beings. In 1910, Du Bois helped found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In his role as Director of Publicity and Research, he edited the NAACP’s monthly newspaper, The Crisis, the country’s oldest Black publication. This wildly successful journal spurred the Harlem Renaissance and became a voice for the voiceless, oppressed, and marginalized. Over the course of his 95 years of life, Du Bois wrote a play, published over 20 other books, wrote columns for magazines, founded the Niagara Movement, and authored several other publications. All of these efforts were aimed at destroying the systemic structure of racism.

In her documentary, Coburn captures the heart and drive of this one individual who devoted his time, money, and talents to help not just Black people but all those who were oppressed. Du Bois was a women’s advocate, created stories for children, traveled internationally, and spoke out about the monstrosities of the Nazis. He stood for equality and justice for every human being and was a trailblazer for countless leaders who came after him.

Today’s Message In the aftermath of numerous unjust deaths of Black men at the hands of white officers, Du Bois’s life’s work is a blueprint for this generation’s needed mindset. Though laws have changed, racism is still sewn into the powers that be. With this film, Coburn aims to evoke a spirit of courage and activism and to incite citizens to join the movement. Or, better yet, to start one. Jim Crow laws have been replaced with microaggressions, banning books, taking down monuments, and a lack of equal opportunity for land and home ownership. Not so subtly, Black history is being erased. Coburn invites us to become modern-day revolutionaries and save this history, following in the footsteps of Du Bois and so many like him.

“Anytime somebody learns the truth of their history, they grow,” stated Coburn. This documentary is sure to inspire growth in all who view it. 

“W.E.B. Du Bois: A Rebel With a Cause” is slated to premiere on PBS May 19, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET. 

---

Nicole D. Miller is a 6x’s self-published award-winning author, tenured blogger, freelance journalist, hybrid book publisher, community activist, event hostess, podcaster, and urban fiction novelist. She takes immense pleasure in crafting stories that intertwine Black culture and faith. Via ND Miller Publishing LLC, Nicole personally provides hybrid publishing, ghostwriting, and one-on-one coaching services. All are offered at www.ndmillerpub. To unwind, she enjoys shopping, time with friends, and a good glass of dry red wine. More can be learned at nicoledmiller.com