UNC professor Randall Kenan was a beloved colleague, author and friend. He passed on Aug. 28, 2020. Kenan had an uncanny ability to write beautiful stories that would uniquely touch his reader’s hearts.
On Sunday, Sept. 11, Kenan’s friends and former colleagues held a book launch for a compilation of Kenan’s work from before he passed, titled “Black Folk Could Fly.” The book contains 21 works of non-fiction pieces, some of his most personal writings and was made available for sale last month.
In the book, Kenan writes about the three women who raised him, growing up Black in the rural American South in the 1960s, his childhood fear of snakes and more.
Tayari Jones, an author, friend of Kenan's and a professor at Emory University, said that reading this book is an experience like no other.
“The 21 works of nonfiction in this book offer an experience that's like a walking expedition through a beautiful and intricate landscape, led by a tour guide who visits the popular attractions, but also insists on stopping by the ancient cemeteries, telling the stories behind every stone,” she said.
Jones wrote the introduction to the book, yet she said she did not feel qualified enough to write a piece discussing Kenan’s writing without mentioning who he was as a person.
“The truth of the matter is that you couldn't separate him from his art, because Randall was genuine like that,” Jones said. “There was no reason to draw a line between the two because each part of him were equally broken down and legacy worthy.”
Another of Kenan’s close friends and former colleagues, Daniel Wallace, said Kenan’s writing style was unique and mimicked that of magical realism.
Wallace is also an English professor at UNC. He and Kenan became very close and worked together on a few different projects, leading to a friendship that lasted for years.
