African American Studies | Open Access Articles

The Confederate Flag, A College Mace And Becoming America Again, Joanne Braxton

Joanne Braxton

No abstract provided.

The City Is Full Of Bugs, Michael Stanley

Michael A Stanley

This essay explores the use of symbolism and metaphor in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, focusing on a particular scene inside Mary Rambo’s apartment in the middle of the novel. The use of symbolism in the novel is extensive, and many objects and characters serve as metaphors for social classes and groups, and often these representations also function as direct satire for various political groups, folkways, and the expectations or prejudices of the time period in which the novel is set. The objects and events that take place in Mary Rambo’s apartment go beyond symbolism to include a forecast of future …

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'The Last Honest Film Critic In America': Armond White And The Children Of James Baldwin, Daniel Mcneil

Daniel McNeil

"McNeil draws on a genealogy of African American thought to demonstrate that, far from being an atavistic curmudgeon, Armond White's agitation against bloggers and amateur pundits represents an important and misunderstood voice in the current critic-audience debate. In a world flooded with unconsidered punditry, White --- and .... other writers influenced by James Baldwin --- remind us that artful critics consider it a public duty to respond to works of art honestly and to question the motives of other artists and critics" (Mattias Frey, Senior Lecturer in Film, University of Kent)