Why does the author use history in his essay?

History provides the context for the themes of the novel. In order to full explain the experience of living behind the veil, Du Bois provides the reader with anecdotes and situations that the black man experiences throughout the period of reconstruction. In the first essay, the reader learns about his experience within the veil, and of his realization of the discrimination he would face because of his skin color. In the second essay, Du Bois contends that the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line. This provides a basis for the rest of his essays, where he further analyzes the stratification and marginalization processes that exist due to the existence of this invisible line. In the third essay, he describes Booker T. Washington's rise to prominence in America, and how his success, while symbolic for African-Americans, was also detrimental. Instead of realizing that the oppression of the Negro was what led to his lack of education, Washington argues that the Negro needed to focus more on education in order to achieve ultimate success.