Moving Home: Gender, Place, and Travel Writing in the Early Black Atlantic

Sandra Gunning's Moving Home explores nineteenth-century African diasporic travel writing to challenge assumptions and showcase the contributions of missionaries, abolitionists, entrepreneurs, and explorers. Their writings reveal the complexities of navigating the African colonies and the Atlantic world, while highlighting the historical and geographical specificities that shaped their careers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 25 October 2021
Publisher: Duke University Press

In her groundbreaking work, "Moving Home," Sandra Gunning delves into the rich tapestry of nineteenth-century African diasporic travel writing, seeking to broaden and enrich our understanding of the Black Atlantic. Gunning harnesses the insights of missionaries, abolitionists, entrepreneurs, and explorers whose remarkable works challenge the conventional notion that travel writing is solely tied to leisure or scientific exploration. Take, for instance, the remarkable story of Yoruba ex-slave turned Anglican bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther, who played a pivotal role in the Christianization of colonial Nigeria. Alongside Sarah Forbes Bonetta, a formerly enslaved girl bestowed upon Queen Victoria, these writers embarked on extraordinary journeys across the African colonies, navigating the intricate web of nation and empire. Their mobility as African diasporic and colonial subjects granted them the opportunity to explore the vast expanse of the Atlantic world and beyond. Gunning's approach is unique in that she does not merely categorize these writers as mere precursors of Pan-Africanist traditions. Instead, she meticulously traces their successes and frustrations, capturing the intricate historical and geographical nuances that shaped their careers. Through her meticulous research, Gunning offers a fresh perspective on the complex interplay between nation and empire, shedding light on the diverse experiences and contributions of African diasporic individuals in shaping the world's history.

Weight: 410g
Dimension: 153 x 229 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478014553