Explore the World With Northwestern

As an American historian with an interest in the global African American experience, Cheryl Johnson-Odim ’75 MA, ’78 PhD was intrigued by the opportunity to join fellow Northwestern alumni on a trip to Paris that would highlight the history and influence of Black culture in the City of Light. 

Johnson-Odim, who earned two history degrees at Northwestern and held academic leadership positions at three Chicago-area colleges and universities, now serves as co-chair of the Block Museum of Art Board of Advisors at Northwestern. Last October, she packed her bags for the “Paris Featuring the African American Experience” trip with the Northwestern Alumni Association (NAA) Travel Program. 

Throughout the seven-night journey, Johnson-Odim learned about African American expatriates who introduced jazz to the European city during World War I, and she explored quarters where prominent Black musicians, artists and intellectuals of the 20th century spent their time. The tour followed in the footsteps of Langston Hughes, Josephine Baker, W.E.B. Du Bois, James Baldwin, Augusta Savage and other African American luminaries, and the group also met with local writers, musicians and historians who shared details about their lives in Paris today. 

“Not only did we get the historical experience of visiting jazz clubs where Josephine Baker sang, we were able to meet contemporary jazz musicians — African Americans who have lived in Paris for years,” Johnson-Odim says. “It was so nice to get that perspective.” 

The NAA Travel Program offers about three dozen trips annually to Northwestern alumni, with itineraries and travel experiences that cater to all interests. For more than 50 years, the program has led trips to all seven continents, across land and sea. Experiences have included a cruise on the Dutch waterways, a train ride through Canada, and a journey across Japan and South Korea, as well as explorations of the great pyramids of Egypt and visits to U.S. national parks and Civil War battlefields. Some trips are hosted by Northwestern faculty who give lectures, offering a unique educational experience for travelers. There is also an annual ski and snowboard trip for recent alumni seeking outdoor adventure. But no matter the destination, alumni have opportunities to connect with one another, learn about other cultures and engage with the world. 

The 2026 travel schedule will include some new offerings. The NAA Travel Program has scheduled trips to Seychelles and Bhutan along with the opportunity to explore the African American experience in Charleston, S.C. See the full travel schedule.

For Johnson-Odim, who went on a safari in Tanzania with the NAA Travel Program in 2018, it was an easy decision to return for a second trip. She says both travel experiences were well organized and had excellent guides. She also enjoyed finding a community of like-minded travelers that included Northwestern alumni. “It was great to travel with other people who were all interested in the topics,” she says. “The trips give you an opportunity to be a part of a group and provide a common experience that brings everyone together.”