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Maya Angelou's Autobiography #5

All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes

maya angelou

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Once again, the poet casts her spell as she resumes one of the greatest personal narratives of our time. In this continuation, Angelou relates how she joins a "colony" of Black American expatriates in Ghana--only to discover no one ever goes home again.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published March 12,1986
Series
Maya Angelou/s Autobiography

This edition

Format
224 pages, Hardcover
Published
May 20, 1997 by Random House
ISBN
9780679457749
ASIN
0679457747
Language
English

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About the author

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maya angelou

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Maya Angelou was an American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees. Angelou's series of seven autobiographies focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), tells of her life up to the age of 17 and brought her international recognition and acclaim.
She became a poet and writer after a string of odd jobs during her young adulthood. These included fry cook, sex worker, nightclub performer, Porgy and Bess cast member, Southern Christian Leadership Conference coordinator, and correspondent in Egypt and Ghana during the decolonization of Africa. Angelou was also an actress, writer, director, and producer of plays, movies, and public television programs. In 1982, she was named the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Angelou was active in the Civil Rights Movement and worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Beginning in the 1990s, she made approximately 80 appearances a year on the lecture circuit, something she continued into her eighties. In 1993, Angelou recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" (1993) at the first inauguration of Bill Clinton, making her the first poet to make an inaugural recitation since Robert Frost at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961.
With the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou publicly discussed aspects of her personal life. She was respected as a spokesperson for Black people and women, and her works have been considered a defense of Black culture. Her works are widely used in schools and universities worldwide, although attempts have been made to ban her books from some U.S. libraries. Angelou's most celebrated works have been labeled as autobiographical fiction, but many critics consider them to be autobiographies. She made a deliberate attempt to challenge the common structure of the autobiography by critiquing, changing, and expanding the genre. Her books center on themes that include racism, identity, family, and travel.

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Rating(4.1 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
33(33%)
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40(40%)
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27(27%)
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100 reviews All reviews
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FaeN
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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This was a “heavy” book, and I found myself unable to continue reading it for a prolonged duration at any one point.

However, I’m definitely glad to have read it.

Maya talks about her days living in Ghana. As a Black American, she seeks to rediscover her roots and racial identity.

This was the homeland that she (or someone like her, or someone definitely related to her) was once taken by force.

Though her only known home until then was America, she didn’t completely belong there still.

So, centuries later, in a radically different situation, would she finally feel at home in Ghana? Would she finally “belong”? The answer may not be as simple.

A beautiful memoir of self-discovery, rich anecdotal accounts (both heartwarming and haunting), and a strong reminder of the inequality that continues to persist in the world.

And yet, it shows how people become resilient and even accepting of it, to survive.

Favourite quotes:

“Tragedy, no matter how sad, becomes boring to those not caught in its addictive caress.”

“Our need for belonging allowed us to ignore the obvious and to create real places or even illusory places, befitting our imaginations.”

“If you want to know how important you are to the world, stick your finger in a pond and pull it out. Will the hole remain?”

“Don’t be in such a hurry to condemn a person because he doesn’t do what you do, or think as you think or as fast. There was a time when you didn’t know what you know now.”

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ChickenMaster123
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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This book should be read by everyone.

While living in Ghana, Maya Angelou delves deep into the profound examination of what it means to be black in America as opposed to what it means to be black in Africa.

She also elaborates on the fact that Black Americans have ancestors hailing from Africa, yet the issue of slavery and the associated guilt prevent Africans from wholeheartedly embracing Black Americans and granting them what they truly desire, which is to be welcomed home.

"We had come home, and if home was not what we had expected, never mind. Our need for belonging allowed us to ignore the obvious and to create real places or even illusory places, befitting our imagination. Since we were descendants of African slaves torn from the land, we reasoned we wouldn't have to earn the right to return, yet we wouldn't be so arrogant as to take anything for granted. We would work and produce, then snuggle down into Africa as a baby nuzzles in a mother's arms. And now, less than one hundred years after slavery was abolished, some descendants of those early slaves taken from Africa returned, weighted with a heavy hope, to a continent which they could not remember, to a home which had shamefully little memory of them. Which one of us could know that years of bondage, brutalities, the mixture of other bloods, customs and languages had transformed us into an unrecognizable tribe? Of course, we knew that we were mostly unwanted in the land of our birth and saw promise on our ancestral continent."

"I drank and admitted to a boundless envy of those who remained on the continent, out of fortune or perfidy. Their countries had been exploited and their cultures had been discredited by colonialism. Nonetheless, they could reflect through their priests and chiefs on centuries of continuity. The lowliest could call the name of ancestors who lived centuries earlier. The land upon which they lived had been in their people's possession beyond remembered time. Despite political bondage and economic exploitation, they had retained an ineradicable innocence."

"I doubted if I, or any Black from the diaspora, could really return to Africa. We wore skeletons of old despair like necklaces, heralding our arrival, and we were branded with cynicism. In America we danced, laughed, procreated; we became lawyers, judges, legislators, teachers, doctors, and preachers, but as always under our glorious costumes we carried the badge of a barbarous history sewn to our dark skins."

"Europe had ruled long, had brought to Africa a language, a religion, modern ideas of medicine, and its own pervading self-love. How could one suggest in one's own secret heart that Whites were not gods, descending from heaven, and like gods, bringing bounty on one hand and brutality on the other? That was the way of the gods."

"Prejudice is a burden which confuses the past, threatens the future, and renders the present inaccessible."
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luhn
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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This is an exquisitely written memoir that vividly chronicles Angelou's sojourn in Ghana. The narration is simply beautiful, captivating the reader from the very first page. The descriptions of the people, with their diverse personalities and cultures, are brought to life in the most enchanting way. The places she visits, from the bustling markets to the serene landscapes, are painted with such vivid colors that one can almost envision oneself there. The anecdotes she shares add an extra layer of charm and authenticity to the story.


Angelou is deeply introspective in certain aspects of the book, offering valuable insights and lessons. This provides the reader, especially those like me who are not of black descent, with a rare opportunity to learn from her experiences and gain a better understanding of different cultures and perspectives. This book is not only important and unique but also a sheer delight to read. It is a literary gem that should not be missed. I highly recommend it to anyone who has a passion for reading and a thirst for knowledge.

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DastardlyPickle
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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In this story, not a great deal occurs. Maya resides in Ghana and holds a job. She encounters various people, yet she feels a sense of discontent.

Perhaps it pertains to living in a place where one doesn't feel a sense of belonging. It's true that she writes beautifully, but this piece seemed more like it could have been a chapter within an autobiography rather than warranting its own standalone book.

There are many aspects of Maya's life that remain unexplored. We don't know much about her job, the nature of the people she meets, or the specific reasons for her discontent.

It would have been interesting to delve deeper into these areas and gain a more comprehensive understanding of her experiences and emotions.

Overall, while the writing is of a high quality, the story itself feels somewhat lacking in substance and depth.
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Never_Know_Best
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I read this book in Ghana - the site of the majority of the story. Maya Angelou is truly amazing. As I read, I could almost smell, feel, and vividly visualize everything she spoke about. It didn't hurt that I was on the Legon University campus when I began this journey.

Angelou accurately portrays the African-American experience when we make that journey of discovery to Mama Africa. She vividly describes that intense desire to fall down and kiss the earth - the earth that is OURS - that our ancestors and the very cells within our bone's marrow yearn for. Along the way, she encounters figures like Malcolm X and Kwame Nkrumah. She also has her share of drama with her son. Most importantly though, she discovers herself and realizes her own unique journey.

This book is incredibly powerful. People are simply "straight up tripping" if they don't give it 5 stars. Read it, imagining that you are on her journey. If you haven't been to Africa yet, or lived through the fervent 1960's - allow her to take you there. I promise you won't be disappointed. It's a literary masterpiece that will touch your heart and open your eyes to a world of experiences and emotions.

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ShawkyVI
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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In book five of her autobiographical series, Maya Angelou transports us to Africa. She resides in Ghana for three years.

Through her perceptive eyes, we encounter a prosperous land that is virtually devoid of White people. It is a place that any discriminatory individual would view as an oxymoron.

Alongside Miss Angelou, we discover some of the disparities between Africans and African-Americans and how centuries of slavery have altered the African DNA in America.

We bear witness to Malcom X's initial foray into Africa and his awkward and accidental encounter with Mohammad Ali. The encounter is awkward because Malcom X is distancing himself from the Nation of Islam at this juncture, thereby creating numerous more adversaries for himself.

The book concludes with Miss Angelou's return to America. I am eagerly anticipating reading the next installment: “A Song Flung Up to Heaven”!
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loooo908
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Wow!

What an absolute eye-opener this has been.

The entire experience was truly fascinating, captivating my attention from start to finish.

It was not only inspiring but also beautifully wrought, with every detail carefully crafted and thought out.

The way it presented new ideas and perspectives made me see things in a whole new light.

I was completely immersed in it, and it left a lasting impression on me.

It's rare to come across something that is so engaging and thought-provoking at the same time.

This has definitely been a highlight, and I can't wait to explore more like it in the future.

Overall, it was an amazing and unforgettable encounter that I will cherish for a long time.
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Mai_death
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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The last few chapters of the book had such an overwhelming air of melancholy that it was incredibly difficult to bring it to an end.

It was as if Maya Angelou had cast a spell over me with her powerful and poignant words.

Her writing has this unique ability to touch the deepest recesses of one's soul and evoke a plethora of emotions.

With each page turn, I found myself becoming more and more immersed in the story, feeling the pain and sorrow that the characters were experiencing.

Maya Angelou's talent as a writer is truly remarkable, and she has once again managed to wreck me with her beautiful and heart-wrenching prose.

I will forever be in awe of her work and the impact it has had on me.
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