‘In America, you are black, baby’: race, transnationality and identity (re)formation in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s <i>Americanah</i>

Global contemporary trends of transnational migration have shifted in recent years in light of the economic and political developments. Studies have shown that in the context of these transnational migrations, identities are continuously (re)formulated and (re)negotiated across different social worlds. Drawing from Fanon’s theorization on the fact of blackness, this article discusses representations of the experience of black African transnationals as represented in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s third novel Americanah. The text exposes how thematic aspects transnational mobilities and of its aesthetic nature and style create a discourse on transnationalism, which can help us understand better the transnational lives and experiences of Africans abroad in recent times. The novel tells the story of two young Nigerians, Obinze and Ifemelu who, in the context of limited opportunities in Nigeria, decide to migrate to the West. In this context of migration, it is important to explore the influences of black identity making such as culture, race, gender, hair and language and how these shifts transform in transnational spaces.