Celebrating the accomplishments of African-Americans. Dr. William Edward Burghardt (W.E.B.) Du Bois February 23, 1868 – August 27, 1963. Dr. Du Bois was a philosopher, historian, sociologist, author, editor, civil rights activist, journalist, educator, Pan-Africanist, and a co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909. Dr. Du Bois became the first African-American  to earn a Ph.D.from Harvard University.