The legacy of William Melvin Kelley, an influential yet often overlooked Black novelist who passed away in February 2017, is being revisited, highlighting his significant contributions to American literature, particularly in the realms of the avant-garde and the subaltern.

Kelley's rich upbringing, with his father serving as an editor at the Amsterdam News and connections to Harlem Renaissance figures like Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes, greatly influenced his literary journey.

He attended Harvard University as one of only eight Black students, but his academic life was tumultuous, leading to his eventual dropout following the deaths of his parents and struggles with substance use.

Despite his literary struggles, Kelley found fulfillment in his role as a father, often expressing greater pride in his family life than in his writing, indicating a complex relationship with his identity as a writer.

Kelley published several notable works, including 'A Different Drummer' in 1962, which initially gained fame but was followed by a long period of dormancy in his writing career, contributing to feelings of being forgotten.

He was also known for coining the term 'woke' in a 1962 op-ed, showcasing his engagement with language and culture, a term that has since evolved significantly in meaning and usage.

Kelley believed in the kinship between Black American literature and Irish literature, viewing both as products of colonial oppression and expressing subversive creativity through language.

His literary style evolved from accessible storytelling to more experimental forms, culminating in his last novel, 'Dunfords Travels Everywheres,' which paid homage to the profound influence of James Joyce.

Kathryn Schulz's New Yorker article, 'The Lost Giant of American Literature,' underscores Kelley's significance and the mystery surrounding his disappearance from literary discussions, sparked by the discovery of a first edition of Langston Hughes's work inscribed to him.