W.E.B. Du Bois: An American Hero, written by New York City-based actor and producer Chad Lawson Cooper, stars Jeffrey Du Bois Peck, great grandson of Du Bois, in the title role. Born in Great Barrington on February 23, 1868, Du Bois was a historian, sociologist, and civil rights activist with global influence. He co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909 and served as the editor of the NAACP’s journal, The Crisis. In the play Du Bois is in conversation with his first wife, Nina Gomer Du Bois, with scientist Albert Einstein, and with journalist and civil rights activist Ida Wells. The play goes into three different segments of Du Bois’ life, including the loss of his firstborn and the painful period following the death, how he became friends with Einstein, and his struggle for equal rights for all human beings.