Celebrate Black History Month by introducing yourself to one of the most acclaimed works by an African American author: Invisible Man, written by Ralph Ellison over five years and published in 1952. The National Book Award was one of many honors the novel earned. As we discuss selections from the beginning of the book, we’ll consider its importance for the early 1950s and our own time.

Suggested reading: Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man (1952), Prologue and Chapter One.