Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture

Afrofuturism: Definition and Scope

• Afrofuturism is defined as "an intersection of imagination, technology, the future, and liberation" where Afrofuturists redefine culture and notions of blackness for today and the future.
• It combines elements of science fiction, historical fiction, speculative fiction, fantasy, Afrocentricity, and magic realism with non-Western beliefs.

Book Overview

• The book "Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture" by Ytasha L.Womack is an enlightening and readable survey of Afrofuturism.
• It provides an overview of Afrofuturism's scholarly history, artistic and musical traditions, and numerous references to past and contemporary Afrofuturist works.
• The book is suitable for first-comers and adherents alike and is particularly useful as an introductory text at high school and undergraduate levels.

Afrofuturism as a Positive Force

• Afrofuturism is viewed as a positive means to overcome barriers presented by systemic racism and socioeconomic inequality.
• It provides a platform for Afrofuturists to redefine culture and notions of blackness for today and the future.

Book Structure and Content

• The book's chapters are grouped together by approach and media format, covering science fiction literature, music, comics, film, music videos, black inventors and technologies, and more.
• It includes a range of topics, such as the cosmogony of the Dogon, Afrofuturist curators and exhibition organizers, and a chapter devoted to "The Divine Feminine in Space" (a.k.a. women in Afrofuturism).

Notable Authors and Artists

• The book discusses Afrofuturist authors such as Octavia Butler, Samuel R. Delany, and Nalo Hopkinson.
• It also covers Afrofuturist musical traditions from Sun Ra and Lee "Scratch" Perry to George Clinton, Grace Jones, Erykah Badu, and Janelle Monáe.

Speculative Fiction

• The book highlights African American literature of the 19th century as the forerunner to later 20th-century developments in speculative fiction.
• It provides a summary of earlier authors, including George S. Schuyler and Sutton E. Griggs, emphasizing how they used speculative fiction as devices to articulate their issues and visions.