"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:
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.