“I didn’t go to Africa to “feel African,” or become African. What I wanted to do was put myself in the shoes of the person I was traveling next to.” –Eddy L. Harris
In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Eddy discuss why Eddy’s Africa travel book Native Stranger was not always well-received by America’s cultural gatekeepers in 1992 (3:30); what is was like for Eddy to travel as a Black American in Africa in the 1990s, and how his experiences there became a book (12:30); how Africa has changed, and is changing (24:00); observations of Native Stranger that Rolf quoted in The Vagabond’s Way, such as how to deal with beggars on the road (30:00); and Eddy’s experiences being a Black American in France, and his core motivation for travel (37:00).
Eddy Harris (@EddyLHarris) is a writer, filmmaker, and author of several books, including Mississippi Solo, Native Stranger, and Still Life in Harlem.
Notable Links:
- Luxembourg Garden (park in Paris)
- South of Haunted Dreams, by Eddy L. Harris (travel book)
- Malcolm X (American activist)
- Alex Haley (American author)
- Jufureh (town in the Gambia)
- Taxi Brousse (share taxi common in Africa)
- Soho Square (garden square in London)
- Cape Coast Castle (“slave pen” fort in Ghana)
- Mobutu Sese Seko (ruler of Zaire from 1965 to 1997)
- Robert Mugabe (ruler of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 2017)
- Albert Pujols (baseball player)
- Central African Republic (nation)
- Josephine Baker (American dancer who moved to France)
- Normandy (region in France)
The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.
Note: We don’t host a “comments” section, but we’re happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.
