Travelling While Black by Nanjala Nyabola

I proudly carry a Sierra Leonean passport, but I wish the limitations on it weren't so unfair. That’s why I appreciated Nanjala Nyabola’s travel memoir, Travelling While Black: Essays Inspired by a Life on the Move. In this collection of essays, the Kenyan writer explores what it means to navigate the world as an African woman, and reflects on the deep injustices that we face when we try to break through layers of racism, prejudice and misogyny.

From the point of view as a Western-educated Kenyan, Nyabola writes about racist immigration policies, the complexities of being a Black woman working in international development/aid, and relationships within the Black diaspora. I resonate with so much of what she wrote because I’m familiar with the deliberately dehumanizing process of applying for a US visa, and the racial power dynamics I observed when working for international aid agencies.

My favorite part of the book was her tribute to South African author Bessie Head, one of Africa’s most brilliant writers, who died in exile in neighboring Botswana. I also liked Nyabola’s exploration of being “raced”, an expectation the world places on black women because of their race and gender.

As the world falls into depths of uncertainty, I’m thinking about where I want to be rooted and what feels safe for me. I believe everyone deserves a chance to explore concepts of home and plant new roots, but I am also tired of moving through the world within racialized limitations. I hope more memoirs by African women will be published, because this book was so validating and I am grateful it was written. As always, check out Travelling While Black from your local library or buy from an independent bookstore.