Highlighting Black Writers: Ralph Ellison

“When I discover who I am, I'll be free.” -  Ralph Ellison

    Invisible Man is a very well known book. I finally stumbled across this book when I was 18 even though I had heard many stories about it. Invisible Man was on the best-seller list for at least 16 weeks and won a National Book Award.  After reading it, I understood exactly why. It was more than a compelling story touching on racial tension. It was a story that tugs on your soul and causes you to evaluate life as you think you know it. Although it was written in the  1950's, so many themes in this story are still relevant. Ralph Ellison wrote this praise-worthy book. Ellison was from Oklahoma City and had a passion for music. Ralph Ellison pursued his music career and attended Tuskegee. Needing to earn money to help pay for his music career, Ellison traveled to New York, never having the opportunity to return to Tuskegee. While in New York, he even met  Richard Wright. Ellison didn't finish his music career though due to the strain of the Great Depression, but instead started writing for multiple publications. After he put out Invisible Man, Ellison went to Rome for 2 years. Once he came back to the US, he dedicated his time to teaching at an array of universities and colleges in addition to publishing short stories, lectures, and essays. Ralph Ellison was another great writing pioneer that paved the way for other Black writers. Let's continue to uplift his legacy by looking into his works and encouraging other readers to check out his less known material as well as his mainstream works. 

Source: www.read.gov

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