Du Bois opens by recalling the birth of his child, his fear for his wife’s life as he traveled from Georgia to Massachusetts to be with her during the childbirth, and the mix of emotions he felt as he looked at his son. He couldn’t conceive of loving the child at first, and, looking out at the world as he held the child, he felt a sense of uneasiness.

This unease only grew worse as he noticed the gold tinge in the hair color of the child and the hint of blue mixed in with the brown in the child’s eyes. This was the color line and the veil brought to life in the body of the child. He held the baby up to see the stars and thought with terror and hope about what the future would hold for this black child in a segregated, oppressive land. Still, the child grew and became strong. By the time the little boy was 18 months old, Du Bois and his wife spoiled and all but worshipped him. Du Bois imagined the little boy was the fulfillment of the dreams of his father and of his own dreams.