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Article: Remembering Ralph Ellison. (African American author of 'Invisible Man')
- Article from:
- American Visions
- Article date:
- August 1, 1994
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The year 1994 will be remembered for the passing of Ralph Ellison, the author of Invisible Man and the first black writer to win the National Book Award America's pre-eminent literary distinction. Ellison's life and his creative work, which included two volumes of essays that underscored the breadth of his interests, were an exuberant exploration of America.
His first love was music, whose classical component he studied with the conductor of his hometown Oklahoma City Orchestra. All the while, Ellison stayed closely in touch with the blues and jazz, which he also loved. At Tuskegee Institute he continued his study of music; however, an exposure to T.S. Eliot's ...