Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man, and Humanizing Our Black Youth

"I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook... I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids -- and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me." Sixty-two years ago, Ralph Ellison, who would have been 80-years-old this week, wrote those words, and one cannot help but be reminded of them today. That is because, for many, including most mainstream media, black youth are still not seen as children, friends, or siblings...