It would be fair to say that Ralph Ellison is best known for his 1952 novel Invisible Man (not to be confused with H.G. Wells' 1897 novel The Invisible Man). Some historians have called "The Black Ball," one of author Ralph Ellison's most important works. "The Black Ball" was published in 1996 as a part of the novel Flying Home and Other Stories. Though "The Black Ball" was published posthumously in 1996, it was written between 1937 and 1954, around the time the aforementioned Invisible Man was published. That is why "The Black Ball" and Invisible Man share similar themes.
Broadly, "The Black Ball" tells the story of one man's attempt to build an integrated union in the American South directly after the U.S. Civil War, which was fought primarily because of racism and the desire to maintain the institution of slavery. The narrator of the story is presumably a black man. Though never named, the narrator is a man who wants his home to be connected, prosperous, and perhaps above all, equal. The short story explores themes related to conflict, war, the fight for equality, friendship, connection, and dealing with difficult circumstances.
"The Black Ball," like most of Ellison's works, received incredibly positive reviews. In their review of the short story and broader collection of stories contained in Flying Home and Other Stories, Kirkus Reviews called the collection "marvelous." The reviewer for Kirkus Reviews was also impressed with Ellison's writing and said that it should "win many friends."
