ABSTRACT
Sociologists of religion routinely discuss the classic contributions of Durkheim and Simmel while virtually ignoring William Edward Burghardt DuBois. This is unfortunate because Du Bois' early work on religion moves well beyond ethnographic description and philosophical-theoretical formulation. When Du Bois assumed leadership of the Atlanta University Conference studies, the focus quickly turned to the scientific study of the quality of African-American life in urban settings. Du Bois' regional and local analysis of the Black Church anticipates the community-based studies associated with the "Chicago School" by almost 20 years. Thus, Du Bois may be considered one of the pioneers in the study of religious regionalism and spatial analysis. Empirical and ethnographic data are provided for Northern and Southern locales and specific cities and counties. The Philadelphia Negro, Du Bois expresses his concerns over the general effectiveness of the ministry and mission of the contemporary Black Church.
