On May 23, 1949, Haiti declared a national day of mourning for W.E.B. Du Bois after false reports of his death circulated. Although premature, the gesture highlighted Du Bois’s towering influence on global Black consciousness. A Pan-Africanist, socialist, and intellectual, Du Bois inspired Haitian scholars, activists, and leaders alike. Haiti’s gesture shows the deep reverence Caribbean nations held for African-American thinkers and the mutual currents of influence among the African diaspora. May 23 is a testament to Du Bois’s living legacy and the spiritual kinship shared by Black people across borders.
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