The ideas of the leaders of the Black Arts Movement were in direct contrast to those of Ralph Ellison. A clip from the American Masters film Ralph Ellison: An American Journey clarifies these conflicts between Ellison and the younger generation of Black artists and activists.

Concepts

ralph ellison, invisible man, african american culture, african american history, famous african americans, racism, discrimination, malcolm x, martin luther king jr.

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Additional Tags

english language arts

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Instructional Ideas

• Have groups research the ideas of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Booker T. Washington, and W.E.B Du Bois, then combine the King and Malcolm X groups and the Washington and DuBois groups and ask students to craft a presentation in which they compare and contrast the ideas of their research subjects
• Present the video after readers have completed the novel 

Classroom Considerations

• The resource comes with a warning that the material and language in the video may be sensitive for some students; therefore, preview the video to determine if appropriate for your classes
• One of six PBS resources focusing on Ralph Ellison and Invisible Man
• Although designed for grades 9-12, the novel is better suited for high school seniors or college-level classes

Pros

• Includes discussion questions and teacher tips

Cons

• None