MY INCREDIBLE JOURNEY AS AN ANCIENT AFRIKAN EGYPTIAN ARTIST

About the Book

What does it mean to survive when the world is set against you?

In My Incredible Journey as an Ancient Afrikan Egyptian Artist, Kwame Omar Abinbola (formerly Johnie Omar Williams) tells an unforgettable story of survival, resilience, and artistic defiance. From the burned body of a baby left alone on a Brooklyn bed, to a teenage boy thrust into the horrors of the Vietnam War, to an African American veteran navigating systemic racism in the military and beyond, this deeply personal memoir chronicles a lifetime shaped by trauma, yet defined by transformation.

Through vivid recollections of Harlem life, military injustice, addiction recovery, and spiritual awakening, Abinbola exposes the realities Black veterans face during and after service. But at its heart, this is the journey of an artist—one who reclaims his identity through Pan-African philosophy and creates with a purpose rooted in justice, memory, and truth. From PTSD and prejudice to art as healing, the author takes readers through battles both internal and external. Each chapter stands as a testament to survival through self-expression.

This book is dedicated to my guardians George and Martha Covington and my parents Shirley and Johnny Williams.

A powerful Black artist memoir, this work speaks directly to African American veterans, artists, and seekers of truth. It is raw. It is real. And it is necessary.

Read it to remember. Read it to rise.

About the Author

Johnie Omar Williams (b. 1951) received a Masters of Arts Degree from the Freie Hochschule Stuttgart in the winter of 2021. He received a Masters of Arts Degree from Savannah College of Art and Designin the spring of 2017. He graduated from Rider University in 2013 with a B.F.A degree. His selected group exhibitions include Small works ( Gutstein Gallery, Savannah, Ga. 2016). Open Studio( Alexander Hall Exhibition, Savannah , Ga. 2016). Open StudioAlexander Hall Exhibition 2015). ( Dr. Beitzel Art Gallery, “ Celebration of Black Artist ” ). Sewell , N.J. 2014). Currently Kwame Omar Abinbola(aka) Johnie Omar Williams is living in Stuttgart, Germany.