Richard Purcell is Associate Professor in the Literary and Cultural Studies Program at Carnegie Mellon University, USA. His field of study is twentieth century and twenty-first century American literature, literary criticism and critical theory. He has secondary interests in African-American literature, Film Studies and Cold War Studies.

• Acknowledgements Introduction: From Popular Fronts to Liberal Conspiracies 1. Figura of a Negro Problem 2. Ellison from the Heart of Europe 3. 1965 and the Battle Over Who Speaks for the Negro 4. An Integrative Vernacular 5. Ellison, Obama and Post-Race Politics in the 21st Century Notes Bibliography Index