Black to the Future: Afrofuturism and it's Reflection and Re-imagining of Black Narratives
By Allissa
The evolution of Afro- and African-futurism examines the history of afrofuturism and its development and adaptation into modern times. To celebrate Juneteenth, this article will spotlight Black authors who have and are, reimagining the experiences within the Black Diaspora through the lens of magic, technology, and alternate futures.
Imagine. It’s Black History Month of 2018 and you are heading to the movie theaters for the 2nd or 3rd time to rewatch what will be one of the most notable and iconic films of the year, if not the decade. As the screen dims and the first shot of the hidden world is introduced, you cannot help but once again audibly gasp at the colorful, awe-inspiring, and technologically advanced surroundings that are exclusively occupied by those of African descent. Though you may not have known it at the time, as you watched Black Panther, you were witnessing one of the most prolific examples of Afrofuturism to exist within the “mainstream.”
According to the National Museum of African American History, afrofuturism “expresses notions of Black identity, agency, and freedom through art, creative works, and activism that envision liberated futures for Black peoples.” Afrofuturism seeks to rewrite narratives of those within the Black diaspora to ones in which Black people have agency and power within their lives and world with science fiction, magic, or fantastical elements woven throughout the story. Afrofuturism can be seen throughout various forms of art media such as art, music, and of course, literature. In celebration of Juneteenth, a day of remembrance to recognize the freedom of the enslaved, let's explore how Black authors have used their reservoir of unbound creativity to depict their own versions of Black freedom across time.
A Blast to the Past: The Origins of Afrofuturism
It is safe to say that many Black people operated within and used themes of afrofuturism long before any historical recordings. One of the earliest recorded examples of the ideas around afrofuturism can be seen as early as the mid-1800s. This time period made way for Martin Delany, a Black American whose time as a military officer, physician, and journalist inspired his strong abolitionist viewpoints. Delany was a loud proponent of Black nationalism - a recognition that being a Black American came with its own distinct culture and identity - who actively believed that Black people had no possible successful future in the States and pushed for Black Americans to move elsewhere to pursue their self-reliant futures (Stanford 2025). Here we see one of the first recorded instances of the need to ask and answer the question, “What would it look like if Black people were able to build for themselves?”
The term “afrofuturism” was coined in the 1990s by Mark Dery - an American writer who noticed a trend within Black creativity in which artists imagined futures centered around space and techno-culture. He posited that afrofuturism is not necessarily a subgenre of science fiction, but more so an aesthetic with a shared interest in displaying Black futures derived from the experiences of those within the Black diaspora (Kettle 2020). Filmmaker, futurist, and writer Ytasha Womack expanded on Dery’s foundation by suggesting that afrofuturism lies at the intersection of imagination, technology, and most importantly, liberation - a chance for Black peoples to center themselves as the center of a story outside of Magical Negro-type tropes (Sutton 2022). It strives to break down racial, ethnic, and social limitations caused by colonization and white supremacy and empowers Black people to challenge the status quo.
From Martin Delany, along with other prolific writers such as W. E. B. DuBois, Edward Johnson, and Charles Chesnutt, we move into the year 1993, a year that gave way for an author often considered to be the “mother” of afrofuturism. Over the course of Octavia E. Butler’s life, she wrote numerous novels and series under afrofuturism, including books such as Dawn, Kindred, and of course, Parable of the Sower in which a young Black woman literally leaves all that she knows to pursue and cultivate her own future within an apocalyptic world. The protagonist, Lauren Oya Olamina, goes as far as to create her own religion called “Earthseed” which explains the concept of how change is fundamental to humanity and that humans can shape the world around them through conscious efforts and actions. Though her work was not commercialized much at the time her stories were written, Butler has been cited incredibly often this year for her near-perfect predictions of 2025 events within Parable of the Sower. Many of Butler’s works feature nuanced, but fierce, female protagonists, as Butler heavily disagreed with the status quo of science fiction only writing Black characters to be stereotypical side characters in white-authored stories. Octavia E. Butler and her stories stand in staunch support of those within the Black diaspora using their imaginations to challenge the systems around them (Rothberg 2022).
We then see an explosion of afrofuturistic works in the 2010s with the release of Ytasha Womack’s Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture (2013), and N. K. Jemisin’s Inheritance Trilogy (2010) and Broken Earth Trilogy (2015) - works that further solidify afrofuturism in literary spaces. The Broken Earth trilogy is a true masterpiece that features an incredibly layered storyline. At the outset, it is a story of the survival of the human race during continuous cataclysmic events and a “superhuman” mother who is searching for her lost daughter amidst the chaos. The second layer of this trilogy serves as a reflection of white supremacist history and the exploitation of Black bodies. Essun, the previously mentioned mother, is an orogene, or a person who has the rare, yet necessary ability to control and manipulate the movement and energy of the earth - a skill that is in high demand due to the constant shifting of the Earth’s plates that in turn cause the apocalyptic events. Despite the remaining human population not being able to function without the orogenes, the orogenes are surveilled, oppressed, and segregated from the rest of society due to them being deemed as a “danger” to those around them. This danger label is what “gives” those in power the justification to enslave a people that they could not survive without, a direct reflection of the exploitation of Black bodies during times of enslavement. The Broken Earth Trilogy calls for readers to rethink and reexamine the past, to critique systems of oppression, and to recognize/learn Black origins and traditions that have been silenced since the moment Black people were forced into bondage.
Afrofuturism and Africanfuturism
[insert image of Nnedi Okorafor]
As the Afrofuturism space continued to bloom and blossom, there became a need to coin a new term that could more accurately speak to specific experiences regarding futurism. From afrofuturism, science fiction writer Nnedi Okorafor coined the term “Africanfuturism” as a means to provide precise language to describe futuristic stories that center Africa, and uses inspiration from cultures and mythology systems within Africa (Okorafor 2019). Though both afrofuturism and Africanfuturism concern themselves with visions of the future, Afrofuturistic stories tend to center on the West and Western systems/civilizations, while African futurism centers Africa, its countries, and cultures. Due to the use of mythology and magic inspired by African-based tales and stories, African futurism and its elements at times break the mold of traditional science fiction. For example, Nnedi Okorafor’s own Binti is in part modeled to reflect the culture of the Himba people located in Namibia as seen through elements such as the braiding style of Binti’s community as well as the red clay used for both beauty and protection.
Just as audiences in 2018 were captivated by the vision of Wakanda—a world where Black people thrive, innovate, and lead - writers across generations have used afrofuturism and Africanfuturism to imagine what true Black freedom could look like. From Martin Delany’s 19th-century dreams of self-determination to Octavia Butler’s near-prophetic visions and N.K. Jemisin’s multifaceted critiques of oppression, storytellers have and continue to challenge the erasure of Black stories and reimagine the Black experience on their own terms. As we celebrate Juneteenth, we pay homage not just to the past struggles for liberation and freedom, but also to the boundless future of possibilities that lies in the abundant creativity of Black minds. With each generation, Black creatives expand on the work of their predecessors and push the boundaries of what the world may look like when Black peoples have full and complete autonomy in every sense of the word. Afrofuturism and Africanfuturism invite us to envision a future where Black stories are not only remembered - but centered, expanded, and celebrated.
Further Reading Recommendations
Africanfuturism
Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase
Set in a dystopian Botswana, follows Nelah as she navigates a society controlled by surveillance and patriarchal controlled body-swapping tech. Nelah must bring to light a political conspiracy to protect her unborn child while facing the vengeful spirit she created after a fatal accident.
Lost Ark Dreaming by Suvi Davies Okungbowa
Features an dystopian West Africa in which the rising sea levels have forced survivors to live in towers partially submerged in the sea. The three protagonists, Yekini, Tuoyo, and Ngozi attempt to navigate the systems of power while battling the ancient power imbued into the ones who were left for dead.
Afrofuturism
The Black God’s Drums by P. Djeli Clark
Showcases an alternate version of New Orleans’ history in which New Orleans remains a neutral territory, but is caught in the midst of the American Civil War. The story encompasses elements of Orisha lore, goddesses, and earth-shifting science as the story’s protagonist, Creeper, attempts to join the airship crew of the Midnight Robber.
Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
Follows Lucille who lives in an imagined town that has managed to eradicate themselves of human monsters (those who have committed crimes against others/the community). However, when Lucille accidentally brings a real “monster” into the world, her idea of what makes a monster comes into question.
