Social constructions of race, class, and gender affect the experiences of most, if not all, people who live in societies which candidly and plainly perpetuate those constructions. Most people know that, even though they may think of themselves as individuals, they are in fact labeled and boxed into a particular group for purposes of convenience, or perhaps to satisfy some particular agenda. Everyday social norms do not always allow the freedom for individuals to see themselves as separate from these categories. What we may think of as the right of association or affiliation to a particular group may not be merely a right, but is often also a requirement. In accepting our given categorizations as male or female, Black or otherwise (and any other constructs imposed upon us), we are accepting both a burden and a gift. One of the burdens is found in having to navigate through these social constructions in a world that places value on particular categories of identity to the detriment of other categories; the gift is a shared culture, shared history, shared traditions, and shared experiences. We all want something to belong to, something to call home.
I first became aware of this gift and burden as an adolescent. Being into science-fiction and generally being what my peers deemed “nerdy” provided me with my first real awareness of the fact that I had an identity, and that it was being shaped and influenced by a multitude of factors. Each of these influences had their own particular agenda or message, and as such, the messages that I received were mixed and often contradictory. As a skinny, dorky, pimple-faced black kid who did well in school, I heard from my peers that I “talked like a white girl” and that I “thought I was all that” because of my good grades. In that environment, I wasn’t Black enough. Yet, in stark contrast, the perm that was slapped in my hair every few weeks told me that, in fact, me and my nappy hair were too Black. Those same peers who taunted my “white” accent, would, a few years later, come to accept me as desirable due to my skin tone.
I have since developed comfortably into my identity as a Black woman, but there, of course, remain various struggles, some large, others more understated. Visiting a bookstore is one such struggle, unassuming in its simplicity, but impactful nonetheless. Whenever I step inside of a bookstore, even if I do not plan to purchase a sci-fi novel on that particular visit, I always visit the sci-fi section, just to see the composition of the shelves. My first thought, without fail, is “Does this section have Octavia Butler novels, or has she been categorized under the African American fiction section?” 9.5 times out of 10, Ms. Butler has been placed on the shelves beside other African American literature titles.
To me, this sends a very clear message to readers and would-be readers. The sense of identity of Blackness that is attached to the story or the author somehow makes the story different than the other books in the store. It says this book is for Black people and Black interests, only, and if you have any interest in it, you are taking an interest in something fundamentally Black, or something fundamentally “other,” if you are not Black. For a speculative fiction novel such as Midnight Robber by Nalo Hopkison, it is to say to readers that this book is not actually sci-fi, or its not sci-fi for everyone. Its sci-fi for Black people, and that’s a different sort of sci-fi than it is for anyone not Black. 
This method of categorizing is, itself, subject to that analysis of duality that I discussed above, the gift and the burden. On the one hand, it makes sense to put Black science fiction beside other Black literature because it is Black literature and it caters to people who identify themselves culturally or racially as Black. It can also function as a powerful message to others who may not be aware that yes, we, Black people, do in fact write science fiction. For a person of color who might otherwise not bother to stroll over to the sci-fi section, thinking that there would be nothing relevant to him, a sci-fi novel shelved with other Black novels could quickly and easily convert him or her into a fan and believer.
On the other hand, this sort of categorization allows for devaluation of Blackness as “otherness,” and in its otherness, less than, in both value and quality, the normal pool of science-fiction novels that get its own category. And, for that skinny, dorky, pimple-faced Black kid who may feel like an alien and wants something or someone to relate to, not seeing a Black face on any of the covers of the novels in the sci-fi category can make all the difference in their world. Here, that lack of reflection of themselves on the shelves does a disservice to their imaginative potentials, and it somehow diminishes the infinite possibilities that have been bestowed upon them as a birthright.
So I can see both sides of this issue clearly, why Black sci-fi should and shouldn’t be categorized amongst its literary kin. As a result, I walk away from the bookshelves frustrated, each time, not knowing whether to feel disrespected that Ms. Butler and others like her have not been placed in the Science Fiction section with other sci-fi authors, or whether to pat the store owner on the back for being considerate of cultural identity.
My vision for the state of Black sci-fi is that when I walk into a bookstore in future times, I won’t feel burdened by my identity as a Black woman who loves science fiction. In these future bookstores, no one is forced to make a choice between illusory duality of Blackness and science fiction, because there is no duality, no conflict between the two, with both being able to coexist and encompass the other. Ideally in this future world, perhaps Black sci-fi is shelved with other sci-fi, or perhaps there is a section exclusively for Black sci-fi. The genre will have evolved in such a way that all of the artists and authors currently creating sci-fi will have a found a place in the global market and on mainstream commercial bookshelves. Then again, with the current surge in e-books, bookshelves themselves may become obsolete. In that future world, then, a search term for a sci-fi novel will turn up Black authors with the same frequency as any other author of sci-fi, without even having to enter the term Black. But if you choose to search specifically for Black sci-fi in this future world for an experience you can identify with, you can do so, just as easily.
What do you think?
I look forward to your comments and experiences! See the Intro entry or the end of this blog for more details on a chance to win a $10 Amazon.com giftcard on February 6 and please hop around to the blogs of the other participating authors to view their thoughts on why the Black voice in science-fiction and speculative fiction is important.
Participating Authors
Winston Blakely, Artist/Writer — is a Fine Arts/Comic Book artist, having a career spanning 20 years, whose achievements have included working for Valiant Comics and Rich Buckler’s Visage Studios. He is also the creator of Little Miss Strange, the world’s first black alien sorceress and the all-genre anthology entitled Immortal Fantasy. Both graphic albums are available at Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and other online book store outlets. Visit him at : http://blakelyworks.blogspot.com or http://blakelyworkstudio.weebly.com.
L. M. Davis, Author — began her love affair with fantasy in the second grade. Her first novel, Interlopers: A Shifters Novel, was released in 2010, and the follow-up Posers: A Shifters Novel will be released this spring. For more information visit her blog http://shiftersseries.wordpress.com or her website www.shiftersnovelseries.com.
Milton Davis, Author — Milton Davis is owner/publisher of MVmedia, LLC . As an author he specializes in science fiction and fantasy and is the author of Meji Book One, Meji Book Two and Changa’s Safari. Visit him at: www.mvmediaatl.com/Wagadu and www.wagadu.ning.com.
Margaret Fieland, Author — lives and writes in the suburbs west of Boston, MA with her partner and five dogs. She is one of the Poetic Muselings. Their poetry anthology, Lifelines http://tinyurl.com/LifelinesPoetry is available from Amazon.com Her book, Relocated, will be available from MuseItUp Publishing in July, 2012. The Angry Little Boy will be published by 4RV publishing in early 2013. You may visit her website, http://www.margaretfieland.com.
Valjeanne Jeffers, Author — is an editor and the author of the SF/fantasy novels: Immortal, Immortal II: The Time of Legend and Immortal III: Stealer of Souls. Her fourth and fifth novels: Immortal IV: Collision of Worlds and The Switch: Clockwork will be released this spring. Visit her at: http://valjeanne.wordpress.com and http://qandvaffordableediting.blogspot.com.
Thaddeus Howze, Author — is a veteran of the Information Technology and Communications industry with over twenty-six years of experience. His expertise is in re-engineering IT environments using process-oriented management techniques. In English, that means he studies the needs of his clients and configures their offices to optimize the use of information technology in their environment. Visit him at: http://ebonstorm.wordpress.com or http://ebonstorm.weebly.com.
Alicia McCalla, Author — writes for both young adults and adults with her brand of multicultural science fiction, urban fantasy and futurism. Her debut novel, Breaking Free will be available February 1, 2012. The Breaking Free theme song created by Asante McCalla is available for immediate download on iTunes and Amazon. Visit her at: http://www.aliciamccalla.com.
Carole McDonnell, Author — writes Christian, speculative fiction, and multicultural stories. Her first novel is Wind Follower. Her short fiction has appeared in many anthologies and have been collected in an ebook, Spirit Fruit: Collected Speculative Fiction. Visit Carole: http://carolemcdonnell.blogspot.com or http://writersofcolorblogtour.blogspot.com.
Balogun Ojetade, Author— of the bestselling Afrikan Martial Arts: Discovering the Warrior Within (non-fiction), Moses: The Chronicles of Harriet Tubman (Steampunk) and the feature film, A Single Link. Visit him at: http://chroniclesofharriet.wordpress.com.
Rasheedah Phillips, Author — is the creator of The AfroFuturist Affair in Philly. She plans to debut her first spec/sci-fic novel Recurrence Plot in Spring 2012. You may catch her ruminating from time to time on her blog, AstroMythoLosophy.com.
Nicole Sconiers, Author — is an author and screenwriter living in the sunny jungle of L.A. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Antioch University Los Angeles, and she recently published Escape from Beckyville: Tales of Race, Hair and Rage. Visit her at: http://nicolesconiers.com and http://www.nicolesconiers.com/blog.
Jarvis Sheffield, M.Ed. — is owner and operator of TheDigitalBrothers.com, BlackScienceFictionSociety.com and BlackCommunityEntertainment.com. Visit him at: http://www.blacksciencefictionsociety.com/profiles/blog/list?user=2stjwb1h216fd.
You have several chances to win a prize by commenting or promoting the discussion. You can also visit any of the blogs of the participating authors for an opportunity to win their particular giveaway. The first giveaway day will be Monday, February 6, 2012. For a chance to win my first giveaway prize, a $10 Amazon.com gift card, you can:
- Post a comment on my weekly discussion here at AstroMythoLosophy
- Tweet #blackscifi2012 #blackspecfic or #blackscifi with my twitter handle @AfrofuturAffair.
- Post comments on my Facebook page, The AfroFuturist Affair
- Reblog the weekly discussion from my Tumblr page
