- Courtney B. Vance narrates first audio edition of Pulitzer-winning W.E.B. Du Bois biography
- David Levering Lewis’ two-volume work earned back-to-back Pulitzers in 1994 and 2001
- Simon & Schuster Audio releases Volume 1 on June 17, 2024
- Vance describes project as honor,Lewis praises narration as spoken wisdom
The literary and audio worlds collide as Emmy-winning actor Courtney B. Vance lends his voice to David Levering Lewis' definitive W.E.B. Du Bois biography. This landmark production marks the first audio adaptation of the two-volume masterpiece that reshaped modern understanding of the civil rights pioneer. Simon & Schuster Audio’s June 17 release promises to make Du Bois' complex legacy accessible to new generations through Vance’s dynamic performance.
Lewis’ exhaustive research spanning 35 years resulted in unprecedented biographical achievements – rare back-to-back Pulitzer Prizes for Biography of a Race (1868–1919) in 1993 and The Fight for Equality (1919–1963) in 2000. The works dismantle simplistic narratives about Du Bois, framing him as both visionary and contradiction – a Pan-Africanist leader who maintained elite academic airs, and a socialist sympathizer who challenged McCarthyism into his 90s.
Vance’s involvement signals a strategic push in publishing to attract wider audiences through celebrity narrators. The audiobook market has grown 60% since 2020 according to APA data, with historical biographies seeing particular traction among commuters and educators. New York’s Schomburg Center plans to incorporate this production into their high school outreach program, capitalizing on Vance’s recognizability from American Crime Story and Lovecraft Country to engage digital-native learners.
Industry analysts note that Black history titles now account for 22% of non-fiction audio sales, up from 9% in 2019. This shift reflects both cultural reassessments post-George Floyd protests and improved representation in publishing leadership. Simon & Schuster’s decision to pair Vance with Lewis’ text follows the breakout success of 2023’s King: A Life narrated by LeVar Burton, which spent 14 weeks on audio bestseller lists.
Lewis expressed particular enthusiasm about reaching auditory learners, noting that Du Bois himself championed accessible education. In a moving statement, the historian compared Vance’s narration to hearing ancestral wisdom resurrected through 21st-century technology.Early reviewers praise Vance’s ability to balance academic rigor with emotional resonance, particularly in sections detailing Du Bois’ controversial break with the NAACP and later communist affiliations.
This release coincides with renewed academic interest in Du Bois’ sociological work. Columbia University recently launched a digital archive of his 1900 Paris Exposition papers, while Massachusetts plans to install a Du Bois memorial along the Berkshire Black Heritage Trail. Audio producers suggest such initiatives create synergistic demand for companion materials like Lewis’ biography.
