A review by the School Library Journal stated, "The well-known author here retells 24 black American folk tales in sure storytelling voice.

... All are beautifully readable," and concluded: "With the added attraction of 40 bordered full- and half-page illustrations by the Dillons wonderfully expressive paintings reproduced in black and white this collection should be snapped up.

"[4] The New York Times review by Ishmael Reed called The People Could Fly "extraordinary and wonderful", commended Hamilton for writing "these tales in the Black English of the slave storytellers" and found it "Handsomely illustrated".

[5] The People Could Fly has also been reviewed by Publishers Weekly,[6] Booklist,[7] Common Sense Media,[8] It has been used in study.

[9][10][11] The book inspired the title of the 2021 Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition, Before Yesterday We Could Fly.