{"id":71,"date":"2022-04-04T11:43:29","date_gmt":"2022-04-04T15:43:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/?p=71"},"modified":"2022-04-29T14:24:32","modified_gmt":"2022-04-29T18:24:32","slug":"letter-from-w-e-b-du-bois-to-shirley-graham-du-bois-june-26-1957","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/letter-from-w-e-b-du-bois-to-shirley-graham-du-bois-june-26-1957\/","title":{"rendered":"To Shirley Graham Du Bois, June 26, 1957"},"content":{"rendered":"<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-71-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/wav\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2022\/04\/let-us-cheer-4_21_22-4.26-PM.wav?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2022\/04\/let-us-cheer-4_21_22-4.26-PM.wav\">https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2022\/04\/let-us-cheer-4_21_22-4.26-PM.wav<\/a><\/audio>\n<figure id=\"attachment_163\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-163\" style=\"width: 479px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2022\/04\/let-us-cheer-the-weary-traveler.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-163 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2022\/04\/let-us-cheer-the-weary-traveler-e1650650279534.jpg\" alt=\"sheet music for Let Us Cheer the Weary Traveler\" width=\"479\" height=\"509\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2022\/04\/let-us-cheer-the-weary-traveler-e1650650279534.jpg 479w, https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/795\/2022\/04\/let-us-cheer-the-weary-traveler-e1650650279534-282x300.jpg 282w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 479px) 100vw, 479px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-163\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">&#8220;Let Us Cheer the Weary Traveler&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-6\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"6\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"To Shirley Graham 1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-7\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"7\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"To Shirley Graham 2\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-21\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"21\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"Shirley Enclosure\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Transcript:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>W. E. BURGHARDT Du BOIS<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">THIRTY-ONE GRACE COURT\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">BROOKLYN 2, N. Y.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">June 26, 1957\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dear Shirley:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">I have been meaning for years to set down some wishes about my funeral exercizes. But it\u2019s a bit grewsome task and I\u2019m always feeling well enough tothink that putting the matter off a bit wont hurt. But today after James Ford\u2019s funeral, I am reminded that I must do at least this little to ease your task when the end comes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Of course I want the ceremony short and simple.. I would prefer it <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">not<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in a church, unless Howard Mellish is still at Trinity. Otherwise a hall or funeral home would be best. Sometime ago I asked Samuel R. Delany, Hubert\u2019s brother, to take charge, 2250 Seventh ave. But do as you please. There is no obligation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">I would prefer no flowers but perhaps one large evergreen wreath.; a plain black casket, possibly with silver trimming; but <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">simple<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, no waste.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The music might be:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Two or three Negro spirituals: chorus, one strophe and one repetition of the chorus, no more:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cLet us cheer the weary Traveler\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cBrethren, my way, my way\u2019s cloudy\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cMy Lord, what a Mourning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Then Schiller\u2019s Ode to Joy, Beethoven\u2019s music\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Finally, one of the great Funeral Marches: Saul,\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Siegfried, or some other; on piano or recording\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Finally, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">one<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, certainly not more than <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">three<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> short talks; Colored and white; Howard Mellish as minister if available. I think of no other minister, colored or white; perhaps a woman if you think of one.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The enclosed message might be read, or some other which I may compose later.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The burial on the Yale Campus, next to my grandfather. All this is but a suggestion. Change it as you think best. But don\u2019t stress religion or immortality or Jesus Chris or the Good God. The good life at present and progress in the future is what I want stressed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">I love you <\/span><\/p>\n<p>W. E. B. Du Bois<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">P. S. Of course you will see that Yloande, Du Bois and any child of hers have a prominent place.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Enclosure:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">IT IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT IN THEORY THAN ACTUALLY TO SAY THE LAST GOODBYE TO ONE\u2019S FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES; AND TO ALL THE FAMILIAR THINGS OF THIS LIFE. I AM GOING TO TAKE A LONG, DEEP AND ENDLESS SLEEP. THIS IS NOT A PUNISHMENT BUT A PRIVILEGE TO WHICH I HAVE LOOKED FORWARD FOR LONG YEARS. I HAVE LOVED MY WORK [&amp; HAVE PEOPLE] AND MY PLAY BUT ALWAYS I HAVE BEEN UPLIFTED BY THE THOUGHT THAT WHAT I HAVE DONE WELL WILL LIVE LONG AND JUSTIFY MY LIFE; THAT WHAT I HAVE DONE ILL OR NEVER FINISHED CAN NOW BE HANDED ON TO OTHERS FOR ENDLESS DAYS TO BE FINISHED WHILE I REST. AND THAT PEACE WILL BE MY APPLAUSE. ONE THING ALONE I CHARGE YOU AS YOU LIVE AND BELIEVE IN LIFE ALWAYS HUMAN BEINGS WILL LIVE AND PROGRESS TO GREATER BROADER AND FULLER LIFE; THE ONLY POSSIBLE DEATH IS TO LOSE BELIEF IN THIS SIMPLY BECAUSE THIS GREATER END COMES SLOWLY: [JUST] BECAUSE TIME IS LONG. GOODBYE.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">W. E. B. Du Bois\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">26 June 1957\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i>Du Bois, W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt), 1868-1963. Letter from W. E. B. Du Bois to Shirley Graham Du Bois, June 26, 1957. W. E. B. Du Bois Papers (MS 312). Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries. https:\/\/credo.library.umass.edu\/view\/full\/mums312-b160-i480.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>Du Bois, W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt), 1868-1963. The last goodbye, June 26, 1957. W. E. B. Du Bois Papers (MS 312). Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries. https:\/\/credo.library.umass.edu\/view\/full\/mums312-b160-i481.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Transcript: W. E. BURGHARDT Du BOIS THIRTY-ONE GRACE COURT\u00a0 BROOKLYN 2, N. Y. June 26, 1957\u00a0\u00a0 Dear Shirley:\u00a0 I have been meaning for years to set down some wishes about my funeral exercizes. But it\u2019s a bit grewsome task and I\u2019m always feeling well enough tothink that putting the matter off a bit wont [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4299,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-family"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4299"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":299,"href":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71\/revisions\/299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/doctorsnotes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}