A DIRC21 Solo Talk
Exploring The Data Visualizations of W.E.B. Du Bois
Jason Forrest
At the 1900 Paris Exposition, an all African-American team lead by scholar and activist W.E.B. Du Bois sought to challenge and recontextualize the perception of African-Americans at the dawn of the 20th-century. In less than 5 months, his team conducted sociological research and hand-made more than 60 large data visualization posters for an elite European audience which ultimately earned Du Bois a gold medal for his efforts. While relatively obscure until recently, the ramification of this landmark work remains challenging today, especially important in light of the Black Lives Matter movement.
