This is from 1992. It's not like DuBois downplayed the connection.
jstor.org/stable/27746506
Yes, because Emerson had already converted everyone who ran in these intellectual circles. But DuBois starts from the assumption that he is inherently in conflict with Emerson, because of the Hegelian interpretation of American history that had already become popular.
He was trying to save everyone else the trouble.
jstor.org/stable/363332
A lot of good scholarship scholarship has been done on this connection since then, but it keeps doubling down on the idea that the attraction to this concept couldn't have anything to do with being the kind of person who joined the 19th century MA literary scene.
2016:
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