1935 – Ralph Ellison Graduates from Tuskegee

On May 14, 1935, Ralph Ellison graduated from Tuskegee Institute, a historically Black college in Alabama that shaped many African American leaders. Ellison, who studied music rather than literature, would go on to become one of the most influential Black writers of the 20th century. His 1952 novel Invisible Man captured the complexities of Black identity, invisibility, and power in American society. His years at Tuskegee—where he grappled with both pride and frustration over Booker T. Washington’s legacy—deeply informed his intellectual development. Though he left Tuskegee disillusioned with aspects of Black elitism, the discipline and exposure to classical art gave him a foundation that fueled his later work. May 14 marks an early milestone in Ellison’s journey from jazz musician to towering literary voice whose insights on race, politics, and selfhood remain resonant today.