Tyesha Maddox, "A Home Away from Home: Mutual Aid, Political Activism, and Caribbean American Identity" (U Pennsylvania Press, 2024)

In this episode of the New Books Network, host Kiana Knight interviews Dr. Tyesha Maddox about her 2024 book, *A Home Away From Home: Mutual Aid, Political Activism, and Caribbean American Identity*. The conversation explores how Caribbean immigrant mutual aid societies in early 20th-century New York City served as vital institutions for community formation, identity development, and political engagement. Maddox traces the roots of these organizations to Afro-Caribbean and African traditions of mutual aid, challenging the notion that such practices are new or derivative. She emphasizes the central role of women in sustaining these networks and highlights the complex, evolving relationships between Caribbean immigrants and African-American communities—marked by both deep alliances and racial tensions. The discussion also delves into Maddox’s archival journey across the Caribbean, the UK, and New York, revealing how personal family history and serendipitous connections shaped her research. Her next project examines diasporic responses to the 1935 Italian invasion of Ethiopia, underscoring global Black solidarity during a pivotal moment in African liberation history. Key takeaways include: mutual aid societies were foundational to Caribbean American identity and resilience; women were central to the success and continuity of these organizations; Caribbean immigrants actively shaped African-American history and vice versa; diasporic connections between the Caribbean, Africa, and the U.S. were deeply political and cultural; and personal identity is often forged through intersectional belonging. The episode underscores the importance of centering marginalized voices and transnational histories in understanding Black American life.