Afrofuturism

Afrofuturism refers to art, music, literature, and other cultural expression that reimagines the Black experience through a science fiction and fantasy lens. Afrofuturism is steeped in ancient African cultures and celebrates Africa’s rich and diverse traditions by imaging a world in which African experiences dominate the construction of the future. Examples of well-known artists and writers who have utilized Afrofuturism in their works include Octavia Butler, Sun Ra, George Clinton, Afrika Bambaataa, Janelle Monáe, and Ellen Gallagher. Comic books and other pop culture media have also played a key role in advancing the concept. Ideas and aesthetics related to Afrofuturism gained even greater mainstream exposure through the hit 2018 superhero film Black Panther, which set several box-office records. Afrofuturism examines the intersection of African culture and science fiction as it explores a number of present-day issues from a futuristic perspective.

Overview

The term "Afrofuturism" was coined by writer Mark Dery, who used it in his 1993 essay titled “Black to the Future.” The concept of Afrofuturism existed before it was given a name, however. Authors and musicians had been intermixing Black American and African culture with science-fiction themes since at least the mid-twentieth century. Beginning in the 1950s American jazz musician Sun Ra developed a complex Afrofuturistic aesthetic and mythology, drawing from ancient African cultures and imagery as well as outer space motifs for his sound, lyrics, and performances. Another important Afrofuturist pioneer in music was George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic (P-Funk) collective, which developed in the late 1960s and proved widely influential on numerous musical genres over the following decades. Clinton’s music often talked of Black people in outer space, using street talk and slang to describe scenarios involving spaceships and other futuristic settings. It also imagined a future in which Black Americans were people of power, upending the long history of oppression of Black people in American history.

Similar ideas also began to emerge in literature around the same time. Many popular science fiction stories of the mid to late twentieth century primarily featured White characters accomplishing fantastical feats. Black people were sorely underrepresented in this genre, spanning many mediums such as novels, comic books, television shows, and films. A notable exception was the Marvel Comics character Black Panther, who debuted in 1966 and is considered the first Black superhero in mainstream American comics. Depicted as not only a powerful superhero but also the ruler of a technologically advanced African nation, Black Panther established another early and influential outlet for Afrofuturism.

While Black Panther was originated by two White creators (writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby), some Black writers also began using elements of what would become known as Afrofuturism in the mid-twentieth century. Some used the concept intentionally to challenge the status quo of Black underrepresentation in science fiction, making readers acknowledge that the future did not automatically belong to White society. They also used the language of science fiction to examine Black societal issues, such as the experience of being the “other” compared to the mainstream. The prejudices many African Americans experienced throughout the twentieth century made some feel like they did not belong in their own world. Afrofuturism provided a means of rewriting an oppressive history and expressing hope for the future.

Science fiction author Octavia Butler’s books of the 1970s and 80s are often cited as early examples of Afrofuturist themes in literature. Her works often incorporate futuristic technologies and alien communications. However, some critics have questioned whether most of Butler's novels actually fit the description of Afrofuturism, as they tend to feature scenarios in which all races live together in a future that dismisses the very idea of racial divides. Author Samuel R. Delany also composed a number of science fiction texts noted for preceding the Afrofuturism label. Delany’s work more pointedly explored African American identity in a science fiction setting.

Afrofuturism became a subject of cultural criticism in the 1990s. Dery was one of the first critics to question the still relatively minimal Black presence in the science fiction genre. “Black to the Future” and a number of other writings examined distinct futuristic themes observed in African American music, art, and writing, specifically in the science fiction and magical realism genres. Scholars soon expanded upon these discussions to extend Afrofuturism’s theme to wider areas of study such as philosophy, history, and science. The intersection of Black (and, often, specifically African American) culture and technology was examined through a political and social lens, as well as from a science fiction perspective. Such discussion in turn inspired more writers and artists to incorporate Afrofuturism into their creative works.

What sets Afrofuturism apart from the broader futurism genre is its roots in Black identity, and particularly connections to ancient African cultures. A Black character in a futuristic setting does not necessarily qualify a work as Afrofuturist. Instead, the narrative itself must be embedded in the unique experiences of Black culture. Afrofuturism can be highly diverse in virtually any other aspect, although there are some common themes and motifs within the genre. References to Ancient Egypt as a Black culture are often prominent, including imagery of pyramids, hieroglyphs, and other symbols. Sun-Ra and Parliament-Funkadelic notably incorporated Egyptian mysticism into their lyrics and aesthetic, for example, and this trend was continued by many other musical artists who have considered under the umbrella of Afrofuturism, including Afrika Bambaataa, Outkast, Ras G, Beyoncé, and Janelle Monáe. Many Afrofuturist works also clearly acknowledge the injustices of slavery and racism, even while typically keeping the focus on a positive, empowered future.

While Afrofuturism is most commonly discussed in literature and music, it has also appeared in other forms of expression, including the visual arts. American artist Ellen Gallagher became known for imagining an alternative all-black Atlantis in her works. She also manipulated African American imagery from the past and placed the images in a futuristic setting, redefining what the image once represented. Other artists and photographers similarly pursued Afrofuturism by removing the patterns of Westernized thought from a given concept and reimagining it as a work of African descent.

The concept of Afrofuturism experienced a surge in interest following the 2018 release of the blockbuster film Black Panther, which broke several box office records and became one of the highest-grossing films of all time. As part of the hugely popular Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Black Panther brought the comic book character of the same name to a wider audience than ever before. It included many of the key elements from the comics, including the powerful, prosperous, technology-driven African nation of Wakanda. Many critics hailed the movie as a masterpiece of Afrofuturism, and over the following years it was widely credited with influencing a wave of other Afrofuturist works and products.

Bibliography

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