This research project is made possible through a generous grant by the National Institute of Justice: W.E.B. Du Bois Program.

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the research, development and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. The W.E.B. Du Bois program places particular emphasis on crime, violence and the administration of justice in diverse cultural contexts within the United States.

Objective of the Program

This program furthers the Department’s mission by advancing knowledge regarding the confluence of crime, justice, and culture in various societal contexts. In fiscal year 2016, NIJ expanded the W.E.B. Du Bois Program to fund both scholars who are advanced in their careers and seek to conduct research which advances the study of race and crime, as well as fellows who are early in their careers and seek the opportunity to elevate their research ideas to the level of national discussion.

About W.E.B. Du Bois

W.E.B. Du Bois (1868-1963) was an early leader in the struggle for racial equality in the United States. As a social scientist, Du Bois used objective methods to challenge discriminatory ideologies and institutions to advocate for social change. His classic study "The Philadelphia Negro," published in 1899, was a groundbreaking sociological study of the city's black community, and one of the first research projects to combine urban ethnography, social history, and descriptive statistics.