A tour in the footsteps of famous African-Americans in Paris

Paris is known for the Eiffel Tower, the Mona Lisa and the Arc de Triomphe. But you can create a different type of itinerary exploring African-American connections to the City of Light. Some of the United States’ greatest black writers and performers sought an escape here from the racism of 20th century America.

How and why African-Americans felt more at home in Paris than in their own country is the theme of Black Paris Tours, founded and led by Ricki Stevenson.

There’s a square named for the performer Josephine Baker. James Baldwin crafted some of his books at Cafe de Flore and Le Select cafe. And the famed English-language bookstore Shakespeare and Company served as a meeting place for African-Americans and other expats throughout the 20th century and still does.