Who We Are

Snapshots In Our History

August 2004		Etienne LeGrand and Hal Logan found the W.E.B. Du Bois Society in Atlanta with the support of local educators, parents and community leaders.
September 2004		The W.E.B. Du Bois Society launches its first signature program, currently known as the W.E.B. Du Bois Scholars program, to honor and celebrate outstanding African-American students.
September 2005		The W.E.B. Du Bois Society launches its first annual StepUp Forum — a half-day experience to inspire African-American middle school students toward high academic achievement.
May 2006		The Atlanta Resource Foundation  sponsors the W.E.B. Du Bois Society  enabling it to receive charitable  support.   The W.E.B. Du Bois Society received its IRS designation as a 501(c)(3) in May 2006.
October 2007		KIPP Metro Atlanta signs on as a strategic partner.
2008		The W.E.B. Du Bois Society's innovative approach is honored with the Humanitarian Spirit Award by the Delta Life Development Center, Inc.
August 2009		Etienne LeGrand is featured on the Essence Magazine Education Panel, "Finding Solutions."
2010		The Torch Award is presented to Etienne LeGrand by the Atlanta Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. for her work in education.
June 2011		Atlanta City Council issues proclamation in honor of the W.E.B. Du Bois Scholars program.

Launched in 2004, the W.E.B. Du Bois Society is an Atlanta-based non-profit organization that is focused on bridging the academic gap that exists between African-American students and their white and Asian peers.

The W.E.B. Du Bois Society’s strategy is simple, but effective: our programs are designed to influence the key contributors to academic ambition and academic success for students - motivation and engagement.

Rather than live in the problems that contribute to such alarming trends as high school dropout, poor test scores, low college acceptance, we choose to focus solely on the solution—on keeping students motivated and engaged in learning and pursuing higher academic ambition, whatever the circumstances.

Research and history support our belief that we will see more positive academic outcomes when more African-American youth are motivated to learn, inspired to prioritize academic success above all other distractions and obstacles, and engaged in the learning process.

• Fostering Motivation:  Youth are motivated by and aspire to the kinds of accomplishments and behaviors that are rewarded powerfully and publically.  That’s why we use public recognition and rewards as incentives to motivate more African-American students toward higher academic ambition.
• Motivating Engagement: We promote and support programs that help students develop a mindset of academic ambition.  These efforts equip parents, students, educators and community leaders to cultivate the kind of home, peer, community and school cultures that motivate youth to engage in learning and desire academic success.
• Enabling Academic & Life Success: Success-oriented habits, skills and behaviors are important to bolstering success-oriented mindsets and environments that foster engagement and academic ambition.  That’s why we provide and support programs to equip students and parents with the habits and skills they need to translate their mindsets into tangible academic achievement and life success.