Dark Princess

The Harlem Renaissance sociologist explores early-twentieth-century attitudes toward race in this tale of romance, politics, and justice. Matthew Towns is a hardworking medical student with dreams of becoming an obstetrician, but his race prevents him from completing his required courses at a white hospital. Frustrated with America, he exiles himself to Germany. In Berlin, he meets the daughter of a maharaja, Princess Kautilya, of Bwodpur, India. She introduces him to a vibrant new world, inviting him to join her international coalition for people of color united for self-liberation while dismantling white imperialism. Soon the love between Matthew and Kautilya is undeniable, but their struggles in a whites-only world threaten to tear them apart . . . Originally published in 1928, Dark Princess blends a young man’s journey with a tale of romance and Du Bois’s own sociological theories.