LeRoi Jones's Radio and the Literary "Break" from Ellison to Burroughs.

AFRICAN American authors; BEAT authors; RADIO & society; BARAKA, Amiri, 1934-2014; BURROUGHS, William S., 1914-1997; ELLISON, Ralph, 1914-1994; SYSTEM of Dante's Hell, The (Book); JAZZ -- Social aspects; TWENTIETH century; HISTORY

The article discusses the relationship between mid 20th century African American authors and Beat generation authors, with a particular focus on their perspective of the radio. American authors, including LeRoi Jones (later Amiri Baraka), William S. Burroughs and Ralph Ellison, are discussed. An overview of Beat and African American literature, including the book "The System of Dante’s Hell," by Baraka and the influence jazz had on Beat literature, is provided.