The narrative begins in 1927. Hurston narrates in the first person her visit to Kossola. Arriving at his house, she calls out for him and finds him eating his breakfast. He’s pleased to see her and loves that she calls him by his birth name (Kossola). Another man sits with him, who has been caring for Kossola through his recent illness. Kossola is glad to have Hurston as a visitor, having been lonely since his wife died in 1908. As they chat, Hurston explains that she’d like him to tell her the story of his life. Kossola gets emotional, happy that someone has asked about him, and agrees to tell her everything. He explains that he got the name Cudjo Lewis from the American man that held him as an enslaved man.

Kossola then explains that back home in Africa, his family wasn’t wealthy, but his father was an officer of the king. He traveled often and died while Kossola was still young. Kossola begins to tell Hurston about his grandfather, but she interrupts in hopes of refocusing him to his own story. Kossola insists that he can’t tell his own story without mentioning those before him.