Du Bois is an educator, and it is his central belief that education is the best route open to Black people who wish to improve their lot in America. He is particularly focused on the idea that Black Americans, like white Americans, should be encouraged to focus on the type of education that makes the most sense for them: it is not right to stream all Black people into industrial schools when there are some, the "Talented Tenth," who are incredibly intellectual and should be allowed access to a college-level education that would, in turn, enable them to break down barriers with white society. At the same time, Du Bois argues that it would be foolhardy to try to funnel all Black Americans into college-level education: although as many Black people as white people have the capacity to access this sort of education, many Black people, just like many white people, are poorly suited to it.

Du Bois does engage, however, with the fact that education can be a troubling experience for Black people, even while it is an ennobling one. The fictional story of John Jones underlines the fact that, for many Black people, education simply enables them to see the truth of the veil drawn between them and white society. The more educated they are, the more aware they feel that they can never cross that boundary. The story of John Jones is particularly troubling on this front, because it suggests that there is actually no escape for an educated Black man other than death.

Ultimately, however, Du Bois hopes that continuous education can put an end to the color line that divides society. He hopes not only that education will help Black people to communicate better with whites, but also that it will enable white people to recognize the extent of their racism and understand how to treat Black people as human beings rather than as former chattel and a "problem."