e. lynn harris dead
Developing a Black male homosexual canon empowers E. Lynn Harris to testify to his experiences and spark conversation on an often taboo topic. [1]
I didn’t want to talk about my sexuality after I wrote In The Life in 1992. [2]
Growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas, during the integrationist period, Harris discovered that interracial interaction could be natural and easy, but it also made him realize that Little Rock represented a minute part of the world. [...] He also admires the works of Tina McElroy Ansa, Bebe Moore Campbell, and Terry McMillan, but his main developmental influence was his mother, not his literary mentors. [1]
) was an openly gay American author, best known for his depictions of African American men on the down low or in the closet. [3]
Not only is he recreating the images of Black males and gay males in literature, but Harris refuses to disrespect or devalue Black women in his novels. [1]
Some information, such as that pertaining to the circumstances of the person’s death and surrounding events, may change rapidly as more facts become known. [3]
The text focuses mainly on Raymond and his journey, while Harris’s second novel, Just as I Am (1994), explores several interpersonal relationships. [...] His mother does not mirror any of the characters in his books, but she instilled in Harris a preference for goodness, decency, and self-love that shines through his literature. [...] In some respects, Just as I Am acts as a sequel to Invisible Life, as Raymond remains the central character who bridges the lives of characters who journey past their sexual orientation to self-acceptance. [1]
Born in Flint, Michigan, he had homes in Houston,Texas, Atlanta, Georgia and Fayetteville, Arkansas. [3]
He told The Houston Chronicle that he was in that workaholic mode, being the most popular, but not having any friends. [...] Even a national publisher of gay books rejected the manuscript. [...] Harris continues to testify with honesty and conviction by broadening the representation of homosexuality and AIDS in Black communities. [...] Playing on the theme of invisibility in Ralph Ellison, Harris presents the coming-of-age story of Raymond, who defies the invisible ties of sexuality by growing to accept and embrace his own sexual preference. [1]
Sources:
[1] E. Lynn Harris: Biography from Answers.com
[2] E. Lynn Harris
[3] E. Lynn Harris - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia