Excerpt from w. e. b. du bois jon reese 4 du bois was one of the first male civil rights leaders to recognize the problems of gender discrimination. he was among the first men to understand the unique problems of black women, and to value their contributions. he supported the women's suffrage movement and strove to integrate this mostly white struggle. he encouraged many black female writers, artists, poets, and novelists, featuring their works in crisis and sometimes providing personal financial assistance to them. several of his novels feature women as prominently as men, an unusual approach for any author of his day. du bois spent his life working not just for the equality of all men, but for the equality of all people. in light of paragraph 4, what can be inferred about the common perception of women during the late 1800's and early 1900's? a) women were integral to the fight to free the slaves. b) women were valued for their roles as mothers and wives. c) women were chosen as leaders because of their superior skills. d) women were thought of as weak because of the traditional attitudes.