This article revisits the place of theory in social justice praxis. Using Du Bois' "Immortal Child," the author argues efforts for social justice in education are greatly aided by dedicating intellectual energies to the theorization of alternative futures. In particular, political theory has a significant place in critical educational praxis, shaping how we answer "what is the purpose of education," a critical question of both Du Bois' time and our own. The article first explores what political theory is and examples of where political theory arises in educational scholarship. This is followed by an analysis of Du Bois' Immortal Child and its implications for political theory in education. As a result, the author discusses the place of theory in the field of education, advancing that Du Bois reveals the importance of alternative ways to think about temporality and communality. The author distinguishes between instructional social justice and structural social justice, in relation to theory; and the relationships among shared political projects, transdisciplinarity, and praxis for social justice.