Going Back Home: An Artist Returns to the South

More than half a century after her family moved North to find a better life, African American artist Michele Wood returned to the South to see and feel the land where her ancestors lived. In her first book for children, Going Back Home, Wood presents her paintings inspired by this personal journey. Michele Wood collaborated with author Toyomi Igus to interpret her visual images and family stories. Igus’ moving text draws on African American history to reveal the experiences of Wood’s turn-of-the-century sharecropping family. Through her complex and richly-patterned art, Michele Wood places herself back in history — in the time of her ancestors — imagining their struggles to overcome hardship through family love and strong community. Going Back Home marks Michele Wood’s memorable return to her home and heritage.