Walker’s book constructs a lineage of Black Americans nurturing inventive ingenuity through migration, making the case for freedom of movement as a companion to the freedom of expression … Subjects are introduced in chronological order, with Walker making deft connections across chapters and narratives by mapping changes in policies, movements, and prevailing social attitudes in the United States, as well as in the other countries … As others’ stories unfold, so does [Walker’s] own, giving the book the feel of a travel memoir without ever losing the gravity of a historical compendium.
