University of Virginia Library

Baker Holds Black Literature Vital

want is determined by Madison
Avenue," Mr. Baker claims.

Concerned with the black
movement and black
achievements, Mr. Baker holds
Black Literature dear to his
heart. He sees Black Literature
as "one of the most vital
bodies of literature in the
world today." Included in his
context of Black Literature are
African and Caribbean works,
as well as those by black
American authors.

For access to specialized
black works, Mr. Baker spent
second semester last year in
Paris through the Center for
Advanced Studies. "It just goes
to show that the idea of
preferred gratification is not
simply a white idea," he quips.

Reminiscing about his stay
in Paris with his wife and son,
Mr. Baker's countenance
brightens and he becomes more
relaxed. Describing his stay, he
says that "we went to a lot of
art exhibits, walked around
Paris days on end, met people
in French academics, and
enjoyed immensely French
cuisine."

While in Europe he guest
lectured at the Sorbonne, the
University of Edinburgh, and
the University of Sussex. He
also wrote an article on James
Johnson's Autobiography of an
Ex-Colored Man and Ralph
Ellison's Invisible Man, which
will appear in the Virginia
Quarterly Review either this
spring or summer.

Currently on sabbatical, Mr.
Baker hopes to teach a course
next year combining black
American, African, and
Caribbean literature around the
theme of exile from an African
homeland.