Africa in Florida goes to Africa!

With an advance copy of Africa in Florida in hand, Amanda Carlson traveled to Africa with students in December 2013. Amanda deposited this first available copy in the library at the Old Residency Museum in Calabar, Cross River State (Nigeria). Calabar plays a significant role in the story of Africa in Florida and is featured in Chapter 3 (which includes the poem "Cross the Water" by Adrian Castro) and Chapter 16 ("Abakuá Communities in Florida: Members of the Cuban Brotherhood in Exile" by Ivor L. Miller). Robin and Amanda also wrote a personal dedication in this copy to the late Professor Ekpo Eyo, who came from Calabar and who influenced both or our careers in African Studies.

 

The museum staff and Amanda performed a spontaneous and unplanned reading of Castro's poem, which added to the potency of bringing this book back to Africa.