Afrofuturism: From Books to Blockbusters | It’s Lit

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With the success of Black Panther, the term Afro-Futurism got pushed into the mainstream. But what is Afro-Futurism and what is its place in Black storytelling? In this episode we give you the starter pack on answering that question.

Hosted by Lindsay Ellis and Princess Weekes, It’s Lit! is a show about our favorite books, genres and why we love to read. It’s Lit has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor.

Hosted and Written by: Lindsay Ellis and Princess Weekes
Director: David Schulte
Executive Producer: Amanda Fox
Producer: Stephanie Noone
Editor: Derek Borsheim
Sound Designer: Kirby Meador
Writing Consultant: Alexis Soloski
Executive Producer (PBS): Adam Dylewski
Editorial Producer (PBS): Niki Walker

Produced by Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios.

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[arsenalfanatic]

you should add a reading list under the video

[Gethazzor]

Any reference to Janelle Monae's genius gets a thumbs up from me

[margaret_adelle]

I adore sci-fi, but traditionally Western sci-fi holds this strangely backward view wherein "culture" is this thing to be outgrown and homogeneity is something to aspire to. What I love about Afro-futurism is that it is a subgenre where sci-fi meets a love of culture.

[lucarubinstein]

Thank you for talking about Nnedi Okorafor's dislike for being called an Afrofuturist. I see her recommended a lot when people talk about Afrofuturist works, and her writing is fantastic, but she is very firm on writing from an African lens, not a diaspora one. I'm really glad you acknowledged that :)

[alexricky]

It's interesting that Missy Elliot and Timbaland didn't get a mention. Their music has a futuristic sound that is still fresh and hasn't been matched. I still like the vid, I learned a lot.

[anemixnabla]

As a professional in Literature, I appreciate this videos. Please, speak about novelizations. Bye and greetings from Colombia

[theresebrandser]

Growing up in the 60s, attending an all-white school, in an all white neighborhood, the all white Jetsons didn’t feel weird. Now it does. I think it reflected the cloistered white neighborhoods of the time. Thank God for diversity awareness. It enriches our lives.

[phastinemoon]

I did notice some characters of color in the Hunger Games - Rue and Thresh, in book one, and some hints that the Everdeens should have been at least Mediterranean-ish featured. The movies made Katniss and Prim white, but at least in the books there was more ambiguity, kinda. The capital, meanwhile, were all HWHITE-White.

[PrincessScrivener]

I love how you've cropped the shirt so it just says "Dirty." I'm sure Monaé would approve. This was awesome! So happy to see you on this show, Princess! –S

[GoldieSC]

Love the episode. I hope for more "It's Lit" in general. I love this series.

[robinsonkaspar]

Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower is the scariest book I’ve ever read. The dystopia she writes is so plausible that it borders on the inevitable, and it is a hell of our own making, an apocalypse of capitalism.

Everyone should read it, to see our our society’s most hideous reflection.

[xervesblack]

"And while many people may have of Afrofuturism before..."
Nope, but please tell me more.
Edit: And suddenly my Audible library has grown. Thanks!

[jso]

Thanks for this. I learned a great deal. I teach African-American History, including teaching my students that they must search and seek the evidence that was cut out or actively suppressed, and I love how you connected this artistic movement to that ongoing historical search.

[dwdillydally]

It's Lit is back, and I'm loving it! I especially love that the new episodes are longer and more in depth. Thanks for your hard work, Princess, Lindsay, and Company.

[johnnyswatts]

Excellent video, and lovely exploration of the genre as it applies to literature with nods to its expression in other media. I'm white and middle aged, but Ramellzee and Africa Bambaata have long been heroes of mine. Their work, along with that of George Clinton/Parliamnet/Funkadelic, Sun Ra and Octavia Bulter, really defined the genre/movement for me and I'm so happy to see others carry the flag forward in so many ways.

[vrixphillips]

aw man, I'll never forget reading The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm in 5th Grade. Great intro to Afrofuturism. Got back into it when I found Janelle Monae <3

[ShutItKyle]

Clipping's 2016 album "Splendor & Misery." It was nominated for a Hugo

[DanEllis]

"Even the family android sounds white."

Yeah, but imagine the outrage if it sounded black 😅

[Arian]

the album Splendor & Misery by clipping. is worth bringing up here, since it is a concept album that is basically a science fiction story set on a slave spaceship

[cjthibeau]

Thank you for making on of your first videos on this new channel and series dedicated to this topic! Something I talk and teach about whenever I can with my students! Hope to see more coverage of various cultures especially non white and non western centric ones, and hopefully we will see more videos over at Say It Loud soon too!