Only invisible when people refuse to see

On Nov. 21, professor Stefan Wheelock, a faculty member of the English department, entered his… On Nov. 21, professor Stefan Wheelock, a faculty member of the English department, entered his empty classroom before the start of his Thursday night class. As he settled himself behind his podium, he became aware of an object nestled underneath it. Hidden underneath his podium was a copy of Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man,” a book taught in his class, next to a miniature noose. I forgot to mention, professor Stefan Wheelock is also black.

“I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allen Poe, nor am I one of your Hollywood-movie ectoplasms. 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.”

This quotation is from Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man,” a well-known novel written in 1952 about the experiences of a black male in his journey to find success, companionship and finally, himself. It was the first novel by a black author to win the National Book Award for Fiction and in 1965, a Book Week poll of about 200 writers, critics and editors called it the most valuable novel written by an American during the previous 20 years. Wheelock, understanding its literary, societal, personal importance, utilized this book in his introduction to critical reading class. But he still did not completely grasp the significance it would have for his life.

As the anonymous harasser constructed the noose out of chord and strategically left it next to the book, I don’t think he or she comprehended the severity of his or her actions. The noose is not just a construction of rope. It is a symbol of hate and of senseless persecution and the killing of human dignity. It is an event that has not only disgusted Wheelock, but also the Pittsburgh community at large.

Instead of going on with his prepared lecture material, Wheelock began the class by explaining to his students what the noose historically meant to the black people and what it meant to him at that moment.

Wheelock stated later that he does not use his class to promote his political views. Reading “Invisible Man,” it can be seen that it was not written to be politically motivated or radical in nature. To the contrary, in the 1960s and 1970s, Ellison received criticism from some young black writers and black nationalists who felt he did not speak to their political ideas. In his time he was accused of “selling out to the establishment,” yet he was unapologetic and in 1982 he responded to those accusations in The New York Times with “Literature is colorblind, and it should be read and judged in a larger framework.”

Pitt police, the dean, the vice provost and the Office of Affirmative Action were immediately contacted and notified of the events. And the University is currently investigating the matter. If actual action will come of that, I do not really know.

These events have shown me that even though racism has become a taboo in our culture instead of the norm it was in past generations, it is not a thing of the past.

Having come so far in the last 30 years, how is it possible that things like this can happen? I believe it to be apathy toward cultural education. This apathy is what leads to ignorance and this ignorance is what leaves people susceptible to prejudice and hate. I find it rather ironic that this teaching of another culture and experience might have actually been the reason for the ignorant crimes committed against this professor. For example, if the majority of Americans were more educated in Islam, maybe it would not have received the backlash it did after Sept. 11, 2001.

The actions of this harasser showed his or her opposition to learning another person’s culture, life and experiences. If there were ever a flashing light for the administration, this would be it. This lack of education is what blinds many people to see who people are. Teachers like Wheelock should be applauded and their administration should work harder to recruit professors who strive not only to make better students but better people.

Natasha Khan can be reached at nkhan@pittnews.com, and she would like to take this moment to wish everyone a Happy Eid!