Final answer:
W. E. B. Du Bois conducted pioneering research and advocated for the rights of African Americans, with influential works that remain foundational in the study of race in the United States.
Step-by-step explanation:
W. E. B. Du Bois advocated research on the lives of African Americans. As a founding figure of the NAACP and an influential African-American historian and sociologist, Du Bois conducted extensive research into the lives of African Americans. His significant academic work includes the landmark study of the African American community in Philadelphia, and important publications such as 'The Study of the Negro Problem' and 'The Souls of Black Folk.' His efforts aimed to highlight the challenges faced by African Americans due to systemic racism and to advocate for their full civil rights and political representation.