“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 Lu mber.

Note: We don’t host a “comments” section, but we’re happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.

Preconceptions can blur what you see firsthand on the road (with Eddy Harris)

Deviate

Preconceptions can blur what you see firsthand on the road (with Eddy Harris)