Feeling the Spirit
by Chester Higgins, Jr.

"We are Africans not because we are born in Africa, but because Africa is born in us. Look around you and behold us in our greatness. Greatness is an African possibility; you can make it yours." — Chester Higgins Jr.

In "Feeling The Spirit," Chester Higgins Jr. tells the story of a people — by capturing the fierce dignity, enduring traditions and empowering spirituality that live in all men and women of African descent throughout the world. Higgins’ odyssey of discovery has spanned three decades and led him across boundaries of geography, nationality, and culture. In these pages Higgins combines 220 tri-tone black-and-white images with his own evocative prose to share the findings of his journey. From reclaiming a long-misrepresented history, to providing a rare, intimate look at sacred rituals passed down through the centuries, to exploring the simple yet profound significance of water in daily life, Chester Higgins Jr. presents a glorious evocation of the African personality as it thrives not just in Africa, but in all parts of the world.

In Feeling the Spirit, esteemed photojournalist Chester Higgins, Jr. tells the story of a people - by capturing the fierce dignity, enduring traditions, and empowering spirituality that live in all men and women of African descent throughout the world. Higgins’ odyssey of discovery has spanned three decades and led him across boundaries of geography, nationality, and culture. He has visited the sites of ancient civilizations, joined in religious celebrations rarely open to outsiders, and experienced private moments both joyous and heartbreaking with families and communities in more than thirty countries in North and South America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Europe. Now, in these pages, Higgins combines 220 images with his own evocative prose to share the findings of his extraordinary journey. From reclaiming a long-misrepresented history, to providing an intimate look at sacred rituals passed down through the centuries, to exploring the simple yet profound significance of water in daily life, Feeling the Spirit paints a vibrant collective portrait of the African identity as it thrives not just in Africa, but in all parts of the world.