How a Detroit native with Ugandan heritage claimed every corner of the world
Cover photo: Eva Darron / Unsplash
On October 6, 2019, Jessica Nabongo stepped onto the soil of the Seychelles and made history. She had become the first Black woman documented to visit every country in the world, all 195 UN-recognized nations. Her trip was about far more than passport stamps. It was a declaration that Black women belong everywhere.
Who is the first Black woman to visit every country? Jessica Nabongo, a Detroit native with Ugandan parents. She completed all 195 UN-recognized nations on October 6, 2019, when she arrived in the Seychelles, and in 2022 published "The Catch Me If You Can," a National Geographic book about the journey.
Key facts
- Hometown: Detroit, born to Ugandan immigrant parents.
- The record: all 195 UN-recognized countries, completed October 6, 2019, in the Seychelles.
- The blog: "The Catch Me If You Can."
- The book:The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman's Journey to Every Country in the World, published by National Geographic in 2022.
The Mission Begins
Photo: William Duggan / Unsplash
Jessica Nabongo was born in Detroit to Ugandan immigrant parents who gave her a love for both her heritage and for exploring. After an early career that included pharmaceutical work, she made a big decision: she would see the entire world.
Her goal was to visit every country on Earth. At the time, no Black woman was documented as having done it.
Across 195 Countries
Over several years, Nabongo worked through everything that makes extreme travel hard: visa requirements, political instability, remote locations, and the practical realities of being a Black woman traveling solo in unfamiliar places.
She visited favorites like France and Italy, and far less-traveled nations like Turkmenistan, South Sudan and Nauru. Each country brought new friends and new stories. She documented it all on her blog, "The Catch Me If You Can," building a community that traveled along with her.
More Than Tourism
Photo: Itote Rubombora / Unsplash
What set her apart was how she traveled. She didn't race through countries to check boxes. She looked for real connection, staying in local guesthouses and meeting communities on their own terms.
Her Ugandan heritage gave her a special connection to Africa, where she found warmth and recognition across the continent. She also challenged herself in places where Black travelers are rare, widening the map of where people who look like us are seen. Our Kenya and Uganda trip visits her parents' homeland.
The Book: "The Catch Me If You Can"
In 2022, Nabongo published The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman's Journey to Every Country in the World, a National Geographic book that pairs her photography with personal essays. It's part travel guide and part manifesto, proof that with determination and courage, Black women can claim every inch of this planet.
Building a Legacy
Since finishing her global trip, Nabongo has become one of the most influential voices in travel. She consults with tourism boards, speaks at international conferences, and keeps pushing for more Black travelers in media and marketing.
Her travel brand has grown into curated group experiences, connecting her community with destinations that change people. She keeps showing that luxury and adventure can live in the same trip.
What Jessica Teaches Us
Photo: Christian Cacciamani / Unsplash
Her achievement answers every limit ever placed on Black women. The barriers we face have always said more about the world than about our ability.
When Jessica Nabongo arrived in the Seychelles, she finished a personal goal and planted a flag for every Black woman who has ever been told she doesn't belong somewhere. We belong everywhere, and the world is ours to explore. For more modern pioneers, read about Oneika Raymond and Kellee Edwards.
Inspired by Jessica Nabongo's trip around the world? Learn about Jessica and other Black history pioneers, then explore our upcoming trips and start claiming your place on the map.
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