USA: The Novel - Ralph Ellison on Work in Progress 1966

Item Number: F2009.117.003
Black and white film footage (commercially produced, see below) provides a rare interview with award-winning novelist Ralph Ellison. In the interview Ellison addresses a variety of topics and offers a few opinions. For instance, in discussing diversity he says "there is no United States". There is so much happening in America that it is difficult to have consensus . Furthermore, a Black novelist attempting to be a political spokesperson is speaking out of context because he is interpreted by racial identity. He discusses the origins of his novel The Invisible Man, the work that first gave him notoriety. Ellison also speaks about teaching, continuity of his work, the practice of writing and the elements that contribute to "eloquence" in writing. Ellison concludes with a reading from a work in progress and his aspirations for its publication.
Creator: National Educational Television (Currently owned by WNET - NYC PBS)
Coverage: New York City
Resource Type: Image -- Moving Image; Sound
Extent (quantity/size): 28 minutes 57 seconds
Media: 16 mm film; video/avi
Contact The Oklahoma Historical Society to purchase a watermarked copy
www.okhistory.org/research/fi...
Contact WNET - NYC PBS to inquire about licensing
www.wnet.org/about/contact/

[@clache4781]

This gives me the motivation and courage to keep writing so that art can remain alive.

[@euskedyzestoa2008]

I remember 1994 you can only find and watch this kind of videos in a big University library like Standford or Berkeley, now there's Saint Tube, thanks God!!

[@MrK30674]

Many Thanks for this. I've been waiting to hear him speak.

[@bass0322]

The excerpt can be found in Juneteenth, a novel published after Ellison's death, for anyone who's wondering

[@PoetryETrain]

Love this, thank you, this has been added to a playlist...

[@allenmmcfarlane4977]

...cannot help but notice Stephen Crane Red Badge of Courage and Selected Prose and Works next to IM... Henry, the protagonist, begins with being invisible for a time in that novel. One of Ellison's favorites...

[@mikeaguero2875]

Wow 🚬 thanks 👍

[@sibengerard1856]

A TRUE MASTER...

[@CMatthewHawkins]

Ellison discusses what it means to be an American writer: 23:40 to 27:00, note how he defines his technique as being of value the the "American writer" rather than making a distinction of a sub-division called the "Negro American writer".

[@mike627]

audiobook pioneer

[@CMatthewHawkins]

Ellison reads selection from his work-in-progress 20:25 to 22:50

[@allenmmcfarlane4977]

Technical Consultant, his dear friend, celebrated writer and fellow Tuskegee student, Albert Murray. At

[@fatmanpedaling]

@

[@louisnewton4292]

He sounds like jimmy stewart.

[@goddessm2752]

This guy was extremely intelligent!

[@andreyarborough]

1:36

[@giusepperositano3552]

20:25

[@terpsharon]

The caption is atrocious. Great film but the caption is grossly inappropriate. Please fix it or remove it.

[@nicholasandrade4494]

He almodt said culture before American unity