W.E.B. Du Bois was an influential African American scholar, sociologist, and civil rights activist born on February 23, 1868, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. He was the first African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1895. Du Bois is best known for his work in promoting the rights of African Americans and his belief in the importance of higher education for the "Talented Tenth," a term he coined to describe the leadership class of educated African Americans. Du Bois co-founded the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) in 1909 and served as the editor of its magazine, The Crisis. He was a prominent advocate for civil rights and social justice, emphasizing the need for political action