The Founder

Who is the Founder? Throughout the novel Ellison has made constant reference to a certain character called the Founder. Everything around the college campus seems to revolve around him, and everyone who can call himself important has something to do with this mysterious character.
Finally, Ellison decides to reveal to us the story of the Founder, and how he was able to achieve such a level of importance and prestige. Interestingly enough, the revealer is Reverend Homer A. Barbee, one of the Founder's close friends and the only black man in the group of visitors present that night.
Barbee's speech is a long moving homage to his deceased friend, describing his life and revering his achievements. Many times he makes allusions to the Bible, lightly comparing the Founder to Jesus when he miraculously survived a crazy cousin's attack as a baby, or to Moses when he led his people "across the black sea of prejudice, safely out of the land of ignorance, through the storms of fear and anger" (120). This strong metaphor of seas of prejudice and storms of anger reveals that the Founder's great accomplishment was leading his people, newly freed slaves, lost and clueless in that hostile land, towards a path of wisdom and success as free people. The Founder's goal, despite the obstacles and hardships he had to face, was to see the black man as a successful citizen in a society predominated by the white man. However, did he ever strive to achieve the taboo idea of social equality? Did he ever envision a society in which a black man would be able to live just like a white man?
He died out of health issues in the middle of a train ride. Perhaps this could be a symbol of his final goal. It could be possible that his death before his mission was complete. The whole job isn’t done yet, and maybe there’s still a long way before the Founder’s dreams are completely fulfilled.