Michael Sidney Fosberg’s midlife discovery of his Black heritage is captured in his new book “Incognito: An American Odyssey of Race and Self-Discovery”
A white man goes on a journey to find his biological father and discovers a rich, black heritage. Detailing his search for his birth father, the shocking discovery of his hidden black heritage and his struggle to come to terms with his new identity, Fosberg’s book “Incognito: An American Odyssey of Race and Self-Discovery” was released this month in honor of Black History Month.
His mother’s divorce from his stepfather served as the catalyst for Fosberg’s search for his biological father. When his father revealed in their first phone conversation that he was black, Fosberg quickly discovered the quest for his long-lost father would result not only in the discovery of a new branch of his family tree, but of a new heritage, and idea of self.
That life-changing revelation, and the subsequent connections he made with his father’s family, resulted in the creation of his one-man play, Incognito. Since 2001, the writer-actor-director has performed the show for captivated audiences across the nation, getting Americans to confront their sometimes misguided ideas about race and identity.
Now his new book, “Incognito,” delves further into Fosberg’s journey to connect with his black roots and shares details of a family tree that includes a celebrated pitcher of the Negro Leagues as well as a soldier in 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (the unit that inspired the movie Glory).
“The discovery of my black family, my deeply rich roots within the black community, has given me a fullness of self and a new appreciation for not only Black History Month, but for a vast, expansive American history,” Fosberg said.
At once a quintessential American story and a unique tale of modern America, “Incognito” presents the journey of one man‚s quest to identify with a black heritage that he never knew he had. As Fosberg unearths more and more truths about his own history, readers will begin to question their own opinions and beliefs on race, identity and American society.
“Incognito: An American Odyssey of Race and Self-Discovery” is now on sale. Additional information on Fosberg, his book and his one-man show can be found at www.incognitotheplay.com.
