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Book Review: Black is the Journey Africana the Name Print E-mail
Written by Patricia Turnier   
Sunday, 16 August 2026 00:56
 
 
This book was first published in French with a significant title Le Triangle et l’Hexagone, which represents and evokes the Atlantic triangle and the geographical form of France among other personal, socio-political historical facts such as the transatlantic slave trade, colonization, post-colonization, etc.  The paperback was published during Black History Month, which is significant. Dr. Soumahoro offers, among other things, a brilliant analysis of what learning French meant to her as a woman of Ivorian origin. 

She explains the dichotomy this created and the emotional weight of the relationship between the language of Molière and her mother tongue, Dioula. This work is a personal and psycho-sociological essay that does not claim to be objective, recognizing that the humanities do not represent exact knowledge. The "I" she uses can depict the reality of many people. In other words, the use of the personal pronoun is not solely an individual matter. The authoress told the media that she does not draw parallels between subjectivity, objectivity, neutrality, rationality, etc. She creates a fusion of her training as a sociologist and a poetess in her writing. She also avoids a binary perspective, which is impossible when analyzing complex issues related to racial difficulties.

It goes without saying that racism is an irrational problem. The authoress’ writing reveals an intelligent and insightful critique of its identity-based causes. Furthermore, the writeress has been immersed in diverse cultures and defines herself, among other things, as a social climber.

Dr. Soumahoro recounts her journey and evolution in Côte d'Ivoire, France, and the United States, while also narrating her awakening to Pan-Africanism in America. All these experiences have shaped her, punctuated her trajectory, and permeated her dissertation. The authoress contributes to changing the narrative that is too often presented in a homogeneous and narrow way, devoid of nuance regarding the representation of Black people.
 
Drawing on a sociological perspective, among others, and avoiding both victimhood and Afro-pessimism, the writeress recounts the differentiated treatment she experienced in France and the United States. She addresses the opportunities that presented themselves in America, the classism of certain media outlets and institutions, attempts at silencing, denial, and invisibility (for example, by sweeping various forms of oppression under the rug), and other obstacles such as the inequities she suffered and the power dynamics she encountered during her doctoral studies. These obstacles relate to the socio-economic dimension, career guidance, the struggles against cultural hegemony (leaving little room for other perspectives1), and the choice of her dissertation topic, among other things. The authoress has a clear understanding of various issues such as intersectionality, glass ceilings, and the burden of race. The thinkers of Césaire, Condé, and Crenshaw form one of the main foundations of her reflections.
 
The book was published in 2020. The researcher discusses the opportune circumstances she encountered in the United States within academia, particularly regarding the teaching of racial theories. It is important to note that this occurred in a context where laws prohibiting this type of knowledge transmission had not yet been passed in 18 states. The authoress, a member of Generation X and hip-hop, focuses her reflections on the period from the 1990s to 2019. Furthermore, Chapter 3 offers a compelling analysis of rap by French artists of Afro-Caribbean and Arab descent, explaining how their music addresses hybrid identity issues that can be explored within French academic circles. This excellent work was translated a year later under the title *Black Is the Journey, Africana the Name*. It is expected to be published in other languages, such as Spanish. The authoress2, who has presided over the Black History Month association in France since 2013, gives us a wonderful gift with her book by sharing her knowledge in a way that is accessible to a wide audience.


The book is available on amazon.com, .ca and .co.uk including www.barnesandnoble.com 

 

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1 For example, the illustrious Dr. Fanon had his doctoral thesis topic rejected and wrote down his ideas in his classic work, Black Skin, White Masks, published by Éditions du Seuil. His book, The Wretched of the Earth, was placed on the Index of Prohibited Books in France. The first doctoral thesis topic of the learned Dr. Cheikh Diop was also rejected in France, and he had to publish it under the title Black Nations and Culture.
 
2 Her doctoral thesis can be read at this link in French: http://www.applis.univ-tours.fr/theses/2008/maboula.soumahoro_2088.pdf.