samueldelany

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Walking the Clouds, an Anthology of Indigenous Science Fiction (2012).

In this first-ever anthology of Indigenous science fiction Grace Dillon collects some of the finest examples of the craft with contributions by Native American, First Nations, Aboriginal Australian, and New Zealand Maori authors. The collection includes seminal authors such as Gerald Vizenor, historically important contributions often categorized as "magical realism" by authors like Leslie Marmon Silko and Sherman Alexie, and authors more recognizable to science fiction fans like William Sanders and Stephen Graham Jones.

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Sun Ra - The Night of the Purple Moon - 1970

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Uhuru.

Been getting back into gouache lately

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Afrofuturism, Vampires, and Reclaiming History

I've been really excited to explore this week's discussion about sci-fi and vampires as a means of addressing Black history and oppression. Essentially, speculative fiction is used in Afrofuturism to reclaim and reinterpret history, providing a lens through which we could imagine a future in which Black identity and cultural sovereignty are at the forefront. In order to build a society free from colonial influence, Afrofuturism reinterprets the past and challenges conventional narratives, whether through futuristic settings or vampires. "Greedy Choke Puppy" by Nalo Hopkinson and Sinners (as a bonus) are some of the works we looked at this week that demonstrate how science fiction and fantasy give us the ability to influence both the past and the future.

Jacky fights with the heritage of being born a Soucouyant (vampire) in "Greedy Choke Puppy". Her grandma sees the same destructive tendencies in Jacky as she does in her own daughter, Jacky's mother. Granny's warnings against greed, both for life and love, are important to the plot, but unfortunately, Jacky's failure to heed these warnings leads to the same tragic path as her mother. This reflects how colonial societies historically benefited from marginalized people's labor and energy. Jacky's insatiable desire for romantic love drives her to exploit the vulnerable, much as Black culture has frequently been consumed by others without giving anything in return. What's interesting is that love is the cure for her curse, which may explain why her grandma encourages her to seek love in more meaningful ways. Jacky's inability to listen exemplifies the Afrofuturist idea of confronting one's heritage in order to heal and reclaim the future. Without this reclamation, the cycle of destruction keeps going, similar to the recurring oppression of Black communities.

Switching gears to Sinners, there’s a clear parallel with the theme of assimilation and how vampirism is used as a metaphor for power and control. The character Remmick, who is Irish, embodies the assimilationist impulse; just like many marginalized groups in history, Irish Americans and Black Americans were victims of systemic oppression. Yet, Remmick, instead of uniting with the oppressed, chooses to assimilate into the dominant system, using his whiteness and vampirism as tools to gain power. This is a direct nod to how the Irish in America, once oppressed themselves, used assimilation to distance themselves from Black communities and join the oppressor class. Remmick’s actions are complicated; it’s unclear whether his conversion of others to vampirism is a misguided attempt to “fix” the oppressive system or if he’s simply seeking more power. His conversion of a racist couple into vampires only empowers them further, showing that assimilation does not cure racism; it only reinforces existing power structures.

What’s fascinating is how Remmick's journey clashes with the empowerment of the Black characters in the film. The juke joint (a symbol of Black cultural independence) is shown to have the power to reject the vampires, but only if the Black community chooses to keep them out. The film suggests that assimilation (represented by vampirism) offers power, but it also comes at the cost of cultural ownership. The Irish dance sequence contrasts with the Black community’s experience. While the Irish can assimilate without losing their culture, the Black characters in Sinners lose their cultural autonomy as soon as they allow the vampires in. This distinction speaks to the cultural appropriation that occurs when marginalized communities, like Black Americans, assimilate into a system that doesn’t respect their culture but only consumes it.

In the end, Sinners makes it clear that assimilation, even when presented as a means of empowerment, ultimately leads to cultural destruction. The juke joint is destroyed by the same assimilation that once seemed like a solution to oppression. The film makes a statement about how assimilation can be both a destructive force and a temporary escape, but without reclaiming authentic culture, it leaves nothing for the community to hold on to.

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Artbound episode "The Mundane Afrofuturist Manifesto" delves into a new theory of the Black aesthetic in the 21st century. Created in collaboration with the award-winning creative studio Ways and Means, along with artist and filmmaker Martine Syms, the hour-long special examines the tension between conventional channels of media distribution and the Black imagination. Through a close reading of works by four Southern California artists engaged with problems of representation, the program walks through their artistic and creative processes as well as inspirations. In-depth interviews with novelist Tisa Bryant, musician/producer Delroy Edwards, film programmer Erin Christovale and visual artist Nicole Miller are featured.

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Just nominated for a Lambda Literary prize!

Brad: I'm curious as to how We Belong came into being. I imagine that you were looking out there at the market, at the landscape of science fiction comics and stories, and you didn't see the things that you wanted to read, or you didn't see the Black Queer perspective represented properly, and you were like, "Well, we just got to do this ourselves."

William O. Tyler: Yeah, that's exactly what it was. Seeing the genre of science fiction and fantasy, and not quite seeing ourselves, or when we would see ourselves, especially more so in movies, if we have a Black mermaid or some Black characters pop up in Lord of the Rings, there's always this backlash - "Why are these people included? Why are these people here?" And so it was a very specific want for us to have a book where we felt like we belonged.

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Book recs: black science fiction

As february and black history month nears its end, if you're a reader let's not forget to read and appreciate books by black authors the rest of the year as well! If you're a sci-fi fan like me, perhaps this list can help find some good books to sink your teeth into.

Bleak dystopias, high tech space adventures, alien monsters, alternate dimensions, mash-ups of sci-fi and fantasy - this list features a little bit of everything for genre fiction fans!

For more details on the books, continue under the readmore. Titles marked with * are my personal favorites. And as always, feel free to share your own recs in the notes!

If you want more book recs, check out my masterpost of rec lists!

Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor

Something massive and alien crashes into the ocean off the coast of Nigeria. Three people, a marine biologist, a rapper, and a soldier, find themselves at the center of this presence, attempting to shepherd an alien ambassador as chaos spreads in the city. A strange novel that mixes the supernatural with the alien, shifts between many different POVs, and gives a one of a kind look at a possible first contact.

Nubia: The Awakening (Nubia series) by Omar Epps & Clarence A. Hayes

Young adult. Three teens living in the slums of an enviromentally ravaged New York find that something powerful is awakening within them. They’re all children of refugees of Nubia, a utopian African island nation that sank as the climate worsened, and realize now that their parents have been hiding aspects of their heritage from them. But as they come into their own, someone seeks to use their abilities to his own ends, against their own people.

The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown

Novella. After having failed at establishing a new colony, starship Calypso fights to make it back to Earth. Acting captain Jacklyn Albright is already struggling against the threats of interstellar space and impending starvation when the ship throws her a new danger: something is hiding on the ship, picking off her crew one by one in bloody, gruesome ways. A quick, excellent read if you want some good Alien vibes.

Dawn (Xenogenesis trilogy) by Octavia E. Butler*

After a devestating war leaves humanity on the brink of extinction, survivor Lilith finds herself waking up naked and alone in a strange room. She’s been rescued by the Oankali, who have arrived just in time to save the human race. But there’s a price to survival, and it might be humanity itself. Absolutely fucked up I love it I once had to drop the book mid read to stare at the ceiling and exclaim in horror at what was going on. Includes darker examinations of agency and consent, so enter with caution.

Midnight Robber by Nalo Hopkinson*

Utterly unique in world-building, story, and prose, Midnight Robber follows young Tan-Tan and her father, inhabitants of the Carribean-colonized planet of Toussaint. When her father commits a terrible crime, he’s exiled to a parallel version of the same planet, home to strange aliens and other human exiles. Tan-Tan, not wanting to lose her father, follows with him. Trapped on this new planet, he becomes her worst nightmare. Enter this book with caution, as it contains graphic child sexual abuse.

Rosewater (The Wormwood trilogy) by Tade Thompson

In Nigeria lies Rosewater, a city bordering on a strange, alien biodome. Its motives are unknown, but it’s having an undeniable effect on the surrounding life. Kaaro, former criminal and current psychic agent for the government, is one of the people changed by it. When other psychics like him begin getting killed, Kaaro must take it upon himself to find out the truth about the biodome and its intentions.

Do You Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh

Young adult. A century ago, an astronomer discovered a possibly Earth-like planet. Now, a team of veteran astronauts and carefully chosen teenagers are preparing to embark on a twenty-three year trip to get there. But space is dangerous, and the team has no one to rely on but each other if - or when - something goes wrong. An introspective slowburn of a story, this focuses more on character work than action.

The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord

After the planet Sadira is left uninhabitable, its few survivors are forced to move to a new world. On Cygnus Beta, they work to rebuild their society alongside their distant relatives of the planet, while trying to preserve what remains of their culture. Focused less on hard science or action, The Best of All Possible Worlds is more about culture, romance and the ethics and practicalities of telepathy.

Mirage (Mirage duology) by Somaiya Daud

Young adult. Eighteen-year-old Amani lives on an isolated moon under the oppressive occupation of the Valthek empire. When Amani is abducted, she finds herself someplace wholly unexpected: the royal palace. As it turns out, she's nearly identical to the half-Valthek, and widely hated, princess Maram, who is in need of a body double. If Amani ever wants to make it back home or see her people freed from oppression, she will have to play her role as princess perfectly. While sci-fi, this one more has the vibe of a fantasy.

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

Life on the lower decks of the generation ship HSS Matilda is hard for Aster, an outcast even among outcasts, trying to survive in a system not dissimilar to the old antebellum South. The ship’s leaders have imposed harsh restrictions on their darker skinned people, using them as an oppressed work force as they travel toward their supposed Promised Land. But as Aster finds a link between the death of the ship’s sovereign and the suicide of her own mother, she realizes there may be a way off the ship.

Where It Rains in Color by Denise Crittendon

The planet Swazembi is a utopia of color and beauty, the most beautiful of all its citizens being the Rare Indigo. Lileala was just named Rare Indigo, but her strict yet pampered life gets upended when her beautiful skin is struck by a mysterious sickness, leaving it covered in scars and scabs. Meanwhile, voices start to whisper in Lileala's mind, bringing to the surface a past long forgotten involving her entire society.

Eacaping Exodus (Escaping Exodus duology) by Nicky Drayden

Seske is the heir to the leader of a clan living inside a gigantic, spacefaring beast, of which they frequently need to catch a new one to reside in as their presence slowly kills the beast from the inside. While I found the ending rushed with regards to plot and character, the worldbuilding is very fresh and the overall plot of survival and class struggle an interesting one. It’s also sapphic!

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah*

In a near future America, inmates on death row or with life sentences in private prisons can choose to participate in death matches for entertainment. If they survive long enough - a rare case indeed - they regain their freedom. Among these prisoners are Loretta Thurwar and Hamara "Hurricane Staxxx" Stacker, partners behind the scenes and close to the deadline of a possible release - if only they can survive for long enough. As the game continues to be stacked against them and protests mount outside, two women fight for love, freedom, and their own humanity. Chain-Gang All-Stars is bleak and unflinching as well as genuinely hopeful in its portrayal of a dark but all to real possible future.

Parable of the Sower (Earthseed duology) by Octavia E. Butler*

In a bleak future, Lauren Olamina lives with her family in a gated community, one of few still safe places in a time of chaos. When her community falls, Lauren is forced on the run. As she makes her way toward possible safety, she picks up a following of other refugees, and sows the seeds of a new ideology which may one day be the saviour of mankind. Very bleak and scarily realistic, Parable of the Sower will make you both fear for mankind and regain your hope for humanity.

Binti (Binti trilogy) by Nnedi Okorafor

Young adult novella. Binti is the first of the Himba people to be accepted into the prestigious Oomza University, the finest place of higher learning in all the galaxy. But as she embarks on her interstellar journey, the unthinkable happens: her ship is attacked by the terrifying Meduse, an alien race at war with Oomza University.

War Girls (War Girls duology) by Tochi Onyebuchi

In an enviromentally fraught future, the Nigerian civil war has flared back up, utilizing cybernetics and mechs to enhance its soldiers. Two sisters, by bond if not by blood, are separated and end up on differing sides of the struggle. Brutal and dark, with themes of dehumanization of soldiers through cybernetics that turn them into weapons, and the effect and trauma this has on them.

The Space Between Worlds (The Space Between Worlds duology) by Micaiah Johnson

Multiverse travel is finally possible, but there’s a catch: No one can visit a world where their counterpart is still alive. Enter Cara, whose parallel selves happen to be exceptionally good at dying. As such she has a very special job in traveling to these worlds, hoping to keep her position long enough to gain citizenship in the walled-off Wiley City, away from the wastes where she grew up. But her job is dangerous, especially when she gets on the tracks of a secret that threatens the entire multiverse. Really cool worldbuilding and characters, also featuring a sapphic lead!

The Fifth Season (The Broken Eart trilogy) by N.K. Jemisin*

In a world regularly torn apart by natural disasters, a big one finally strikes and society as we know it falls, leaving people floundering to survive in a post apocalyptic world, its secrets and past to be slowly revealed. We get to follow a mother as she races through this world to find and save her missing daughter. While mostly fantasy in genre, this series does have some sci-fi flavor, and is genuinely some of the best books I've ever read, please read them.

The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings*

In an alternate version of our present, the witch hunt never ended. Women are constantly watched and expected to marry young so their husbands can keep an eye on them. When she was fourteen, Josephine's mother disappeared, leveling suspicions at both mother and daughter of possible witchcraft. Now, nearly a decade and a half later, Jo, in trying to finally accept her missing mother as dead, decides to follow up on a set of seemingly nonsensical instructions left in her will. Features a bisexual lead!

The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden

South African-set scifi featuring gods ancient and new, robots finding sentience, dik-diks, and a gay teen with mind control abilities. An ancient goddess seeks to return to her true power no matter how many humans she has to sacrifice to get there. A little bit all over the place but very creative and fresh.

The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson*

Young adult. Young artist June Costa lives in Palmares Tres, a beautiful, matriarchal city relying heavily on tradition, one of which is the Summer King. The most recent Summer King is Enki, a bold boy and fellow artist. With him at her side, June seeks to finally find fame and recognition through her art, breaking through the generational divide of her home. But growing close to Enki is dangerous, because he, like all Summer Kings, is destined to die.

The Blood Trials (The Blood Gifted duology) by N.E. Davenport

After Ikenna's grandfather is assasinated, she is convinced that only a member of the Praetorian guard, elite soldiers, could’ve killed him. Seeking to uncover his killer, Ikenna enrolls in a dangerous trial to join the Praetorians which only a quarter of applicants survive. For Ikenna, the stakes are even higher, as she's hiding forbidden blood magic which could cost her her life. Mix of fantasy and sci-fi. While I didn’t super vibe with this one, I suspect fans of action packed romantasy will enjoy it.

Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany

1960s classic. Rydra Wong is a space captain, linguist and poet who is set on learning to understand Babel-17, a language which is humanity's only clue at the enemy in an interstaller war. But Babel-17 is more than just a language, and studying it may change Rydra forever.

Pet (Pet duology) by Akwaeke Emezi

Young adult novella. Jam lives in a utopian future that has been freed of monsters and the systems which created and upheld them. But then she meets Pet, a dangerous creature claiming to be hunting a monster still among them, prepared to stop at nothing to find them. While I personally found the word-building in Pet lacking, it deftly handles dark subjects of what makes a human a monster.

Bonus AKA I haven’t read these yet but they seem really cool

Lion's Blood by Steven Barnes

Alternate history in which Africans colonized South America while vikings colonized the North. The vikings sell abducted Celts and Franks as slaves to the South, one of which is eleven-years-old Irish boy Aidan O'Dere, who was just bought by a Southern plantation owner.

The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow

Young adult dystopia. Ellie lives in a future where humanity is under the control of the alien Ilori. All art is forbidden, but Ellie keeps a secret library; when one of her books disappears, she fears discovery and execution. M0Rr1S, born in a lab and raised to be emotionless, finds her library, and though he should deliver her for execution, he finds himself obsessed with human music. Together the two embark on a roadtrip which may save humanity.

Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase

Lelah lives in future Botswana, but despite money and fame she finds herself in an unhappy marriage, her body controlled via microchip by her husband. After burying the body of an accidental hit and run, Lelah's life gets worse when the ghost of her victim returns to enact bloody vengeance.

Orleans by Sherri L. Smith

Young adult. Fen de la Guerre, living in a quarantined Gulf Coast left devestated by storms and sickness, is forced on the run with a newborn after her tribe is attacked. Hoping to get the child to safety, Fen seeks to get to the other side of the wall, she teams up with a scientist from the outside the quarantine zone.

Everfair by Nisi Shawl

A neo-victorian alternate history, in which a part of Congo was kept safe from colonisation, becoming Everfair, a safe haven for both the people of Congo and former slaves returning from America. Here they must struggle to keep this home safe for them all.

The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa

Space opera. Enitan just wants to live a quiet life in the aftermath of a failed war of conquest, but when her lover is killed and her sister kidnapped, she's forced to leave her plans behind to save her sister.

Honorary mentions AKA these didn't really work for me but maybe you guys will like them: The City We Became (Great Cities duology) by N.K. Jemisin, The Lesson by Cadwell Turnbull, The A.I. Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole

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Nalo Hopkinson and Canisia Lubrin are among the shortlisted authors for the 2025 Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic.

Hopkinson is nominated for her novel Blackheart Man, which takes place on the magical island of Chynchin, and draws from a Caribbean folktale told to scare children into behaving. In Jamaica, this character is called the Blackheart Man. 

In the novel, the Blackheart Man's sinister presence coincides with the arrival of colonizers trying to force a trade agreement. Children start disappearing and tar statues come to life.

Veycosi, a mischievous and fame-seeking griot (poet and musician), fears that he's connected with the Blackheart Man's resurgence, and finds himself in over his head trying to stop him.

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Diverse Futures: Science Fiction and Authors of Color examines the contributions of late-twentieth- and twenty-first-century US and Canadian science fiction authors of color. By looking at the intersections among science fiction authors of multiple races and ethnicities, Joy Sanchez-Taylor seeks to explain how these authors of color are juxtaposing tropes of science fiction with specific cultural references to comment on issues of inclusiveness in Eurowestern cultures.

The central argument of this work is that these authors are challenging science fiction’s history of Eurocentric representation through the depiction of communities of color in fantastic or futuristic settings, specifically by using cognitive estrangement and the inclusion of non-Eurowestern cultural beliefs and practices to comment on the alienation of racially dominated groups.

By exploring science fiction tropes—such as first contact, genetic modification, post-apocalyptic landscapes, and advanced technologies in the works of Octavia E. Butler, Ted Chiang, Sabrina Vourvoulias, and many others—Sanchez-Taylor demonstrates how authors of various races and ethnicities write science fiction that pays homage to the genre while also creating a more diverse and inclusive portrait of the future.

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Mr. Samuel Delany.

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From Black Panther and A Wrinkle in Time to Janelle Monae and Erykah Badu, Afrofuturism is gaining popularity. Filmmaker and author Ytasha Womack more defines Afrofuturism as “the intersection between black culture, technology, liberation and the imagination, with some mysticism thrown in, too,”

On this episode of Making Contact, authors Nalo Hopkinson, Nnedi Okorafor, and Jewelle Gomez discuss the role of history and politics in their work. They also talk about the monsters that haunt their stories and the importance of imaging the future.

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Let's take a trip on the nostalgia ship. A time where prominent rap and R&B stars imagined themselves in a weird but cool sci-fi universe through visuals. These futuristic visuals didn't really correlate to the lyrical content but, who cares? It's a vibe. It's an aesthetic where black people can imagine themselves in alternate realities past and future. It's Afrofuturism. This video takes a closer look at Afrofuturism as a visual aesthetic through music videos, From then to now. Let's get into it.

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Afrofuturism 2.0: The Rise of Astroblackness represents a transition from previous ideas related to afrofuturism that were formed in the late 20th century around issues of the digital divide, music and literature. Afrofuturism 2.0 expands and broadens the discussion around the concept to include religion, architecture, communications, visual art, philosophy and reflects its current growth as an emerging global Pan African creative phenomenon.

Find the full text here.

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Afrofuturist/afrofuturish events in August:

Afrofuturist Festival: Detroit, August 16 & 17: AfroFuture is more than a festival — it’s a global celebration of Black innovation, culture, and community. Through expos, dinner series, partnerships like the BAL, and initiatives like our community health fair, we create meaningful experiences that inspire connection and drive change.

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Exhibition Tour of "Women of Afrofuturism." Multiple dates, San Francisco: Join us for a tour of Women of Afrofuturism. As the exhibition is located post-security in Harvey Milk Terminal 1, this is an opportunity to see the exhibition without a flight ticket. Visitors will be required to fill out a security form and abide by TSA rules. Please bring your REAL ID or PASSPORT. SpaceLab Detroit is proud to present two dynamic, concurrent art exhibits that offer a powerful journey through Black identity, memory, imagination, and self-worth. From June 21 through August 2, 2025, our spaces on the 7th and 9th floors will be transformed by the visionary works of Detroit artists Darin Darby and Onzie Norman. The public is invited to view the exhibitions Wednesdays through Fridays from 12 noon to 5:30 pm or by appointment and experience this cultural moment firsthand.

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SpaceLab Detroit is proud to present two dynamic, concurrent art exhibits that offer a powerful journey through Black identity, memory, imagination, and self-worth. From June 21 through August 2, 2025, our spaces on the 7th and 9th floors will be transformed by the visionary works of Detroit artists Darin Darby and Onzie Norman. The public is invited to view the exhibitions Wednesdays through Fridays from 12 noon to 5:30 pm or by appointment and experience this cultural moment firsthand.--

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In Indianapolis, Gen Con hosts panelists as they discuss what do the aesthetics and philosophies look like in practice for Afrofuturism and community work. Featuring: Danian Darell Jerry, Khaldoun Khelil, Maurice Broaddus, Sheree Renée Thomas. The Gen Con Writers Symposium features the best in fiction writing and offers programming that rivals any literary convention. Authors and publishers host panels, seminars, and workshops focused on the craft of writing. Saturday, August 2.

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**Let me know of others and I'll add them!**

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