Yellow Background, red title text, with the portrait of a person semi-encased in metal

Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures

by Kevin M. Strait Editor and Kinshasha Holman Conwill Editor

This book is the Smithsonian's look into the concept of Afrofuturism, an exhibition in and of itself looking at the possibility of black futures and looking back and reclaiming the past. This book features over 100 fully colored images and photographs of mixed media -- photos like that of Octavia Butler's typewriter and Janelle Monae's ArchAndroid dress. Alongside these images are featured essays from a large group of writers, featuring the following schema to present Afrofuturism as a powerful framework to envision a future of Black liberation and possibility beyond that of white supremacy:

  • Foreword & Introduction: Provides background on Afrofuturism 
  • Chapter 1 - Space is the Place: Reflects on space and its defining connection to Afrofuturism and its African cultural legacy 
  • Chapter 2 - Speculative Worlds: Explores short stories, Black speculative fiction and sci-fi, comics, and Black superheroes as bastions of Afrofuturist expression
  • Chapter 3 - Visualizing Afrofuturism: Analyzes the vast visual culture of Afrofuturism
  • Chapter 4 - Musical Futures: Explores Afrofuturism and music
  • Afterword