Afrofuturism Quotes

“And for a moment (and only a moment), it was as if a gap between two absolute and unquestionably separated columns or encampments of the world had suddenly revealed itself as illusory; that what I had assumed two was really one; and that the glacial solidity of the boundary I’d been sure existed between them was as permeable as shimmering water, as shifting light.”
― Samuel R. Delany, The Motion of Light in Water: Sex and Science Fiction Writing in the East Village

“Afrofuturism is the premise that Black people exist in the future.”
― Eve L. Ewing

“We have lift off of the third Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-3) communication satellite at 4:44 a.m”
― Antonia Perdu

“I think one of the most radical things that anyone in this world can do is imagine that Black people have a future.”
― N.K. Jemisin

“All of Muungano’s Territory lit up as a hologram projection, from the Dreaming City to Mars to the mining outpost. No borders, per se, not the way O.E. might define them. Only communities of alliance. This was what they had all fought so hard to forge. They needed a new vocabulary to describe the experiment they embarked on. Empire wasn’t it. A budding cooperative cradled in a sweep of stars.”
― Maurice Broaddus, Sweep of Stars

“The condition of being alienated and "othered" reflects the ways in which navigating Western societies as a Black person is an endlessly unsettling experience, something that might be ripped whole from the pages of a speculative novel. Because of this, the search for lost cultural touchstones is a gesture towards survival: it is an Afrofuturistic act. At its heart it is the creation of a possible future based on a reconstructed, or reimagined past. In this way, a ware is wages against erasure.”
― Esi Edugyan, Out of the Sun: On Race and Storytelling

“whenever we encounter the name Octavia E. Butler, some of us feel a shift, a deep, spiritual resonance that defies comprehension. it doesn't matter how many times we engage with her words, that something lingers, stirring, moving, shifting. and as the timeline stretches, the reasons begin to reveal themselves. when the darkness swells in me, i return to these fragments of her life, hoping to witness the absolute breath and depth of my own words in this lifetime. because Octavia E. Butler showed us how.”
― Malebo Sephodi

“The Martian history was not too different from that on Earth. The only exception was that people left the satellites and went to the surface of Mars and eventually after extensive construction found their way under a dozen domes on the red surface of the red planet. There, in the constructed safety of a domed environment the new Martians began to pollute and poison Mars as they had Earth. Garbage was a real problem. The consumption of foodstuffs created waste.”

Excerpt From
Onto a Sea of Stars
Mark Sneed
This material may be protected by copyright.”
― Mark T. Sneed, Onto a Sea of Stars: The Adventures of Christian Drake and The Unintentional Space Pirates

“In space and on Mars the explorers seemed to unconsciously duplicate the problems found on Earth.”

Excerpt From
Onto a Sea of Stars
Mark Sneed
This material may be protected by copyright.”
― Mark T. Sneed, Onto a Sea of Stars: The Adventures of Christian Drake and The Unintentional Space Pirates

“You are the much talked about afronaut leisure class,” said the mustached and shifty eyed third stranger with a knowing smile. “Were you injured?”
“What is an afronaut?” Oggy asked his sister, in a whisper. Zuzu shushed Oggy. Beaumont gave his nephew a cold side eye.”

Excerpt From
Onto a Sea of Stars
Mark Sneed
This material may be protected by copyright.”
― Mark T. Sneed, Onto a Sea of Stars: The Adventures of Christian Drake and The Unintentional Space Pirates

“Okay,” said Oggy. “What did they mean by asking you about being an afronaut?”
Beaumont frowned at the statement. “We’re in space and things have not changed that drastically from two hundred years ago.” The old vet paused. “We are in space and we,” he said lifting his hand and showing it to Oggy. The boy smirked. “We, are the workers, the laborers. They,” Beaumont said, raising his chin in the direction of the three men on the opposite side of the compartment. “They, are the bosses, the managers. So, in this power structure they found a way to label us.”
“We are afronauts,” Zuzu said with a disgusted look and a finger pointing to her hair. “They are astronauts.”
“That don’t sound right,” said Oggy.
“Right or wrong, it is what it is,” Beaumont said.”

Excerpt From
Onto a Sea of Stars
Mark Sneed
This material may be protected by copyright.”
― Mark T. Sneed, Onto a Sea of Stars: The Adventures of Christian Drake and The Unintentional Space Pirates

“I’m here to bear witness to what used to be here […] I know I must. I was out here before Ultimate Corp ran everything and everyone out into the desert and into the Red Eye. Then they hired many of us nomads to leave our way of life to earn a salary by planting. We were fools.
‘We let them convince us that we had nothing and our lands were useless. If it cannot make money, then it is worthless. That is not our culture, that is capitalism. Yet we still listened. We saw their big cities, we wanted all their nonsense things, we respected their big talk. We learned to prize money over things far more valuable.
‘This led to farmers’ letting Ultimate Corp buy their land. They were convinced they were getting something for nothing, the nothing being the land they’d been told was worthless. There was an element of fear, too. Fear of the big people from big faraway places. Goddamn, it was like rolling over and dying.”
― Nnedi Okorafor, Noor

“PLEASE NOTE: The character of Aoleon is deaf. In continuity, this discussion takes place completely in sign.

Her eyes caught a glimpse of the edge of a drawing among the mass of papers. A sketch of the top of a mass of side-swept locs. Slowly, she pulled the drawing free and smiled a little too sweetly at the woman whose aspect was reflected in the artwork.

Feeling a certain kind of way Aoleon?

She snapped-to and quickly became defensive. What in the name of the Goddess are you on about? She felt heat rising from beneath her collar and behind it she allowed shades of anger and annoyance to fall over her.

The old Aoleon coming out.

I’m sorry. I shouldn’t poke at you like that. It’s okay you know. There’s nothing wrong with it.

As if suddenly caught up in a lie she never told, Aoleon cleared her throat and ran her fingers absentmindedly over her ear and started to fidget with one of the brass accents in her snowy hair.

No…I mean…well I was…uh...

Aoleon, I know about you and Arjana. he admitted outrightly as he pointed at the drawing.

The princess coughed, stuttered, smiled, but could bring herself to fully say nothing. Words escaped her as she looked about the room for answers.

My sight might be Dįvįnë, true. But even a blind man could see you two were growing close.

Yes. Well…she’s…something else.

Indeed? he responded.

Images flashed briefly in Aoleon’s head of her father’s old friend. Verging on her forty and fifth decade of life. She was a fierce woman by all accounts. One who’d just as soon cut you with words as she would a blade. Yet, she was darling and caring towards those she held close to her. Lovely to a fault in a wild sort of way.

Dark skin, the colour of walnut stained wood. Thick, kinky hair fashioned into black locs with stately streaks of gray that faded into tips that had been bleached under the suns; the sides of her head shaved bare in an undercut fashion. Blackart ink and gauged ears. Very comfortable with her sexuality. Dwalli by blood, but a native of the Link by birth – although she wasn’t a Magi. Heka was her mother’s gift, not hers.

I heard her say something very much the same about you once.

Really? Aoleon perked up right away. Did she?

Yes. After she first met you in fact. Nearly exactly.

Aoleon’s smile widened. She beamed happiness. Sitting up assertively, she allowed herself to give her father a curt nod. Well, of course she did.

She’s held such a torch for you for so long that I was starting to wonder if anything would actually come of it.

Yeah. Both you and Prince Asshole. Aoleon exclaimed with a certainty that was absolute.
Samahdemn walked his statement back.

Peace daughter. I didn't know your brother had been giving you grief about her. Then again, he is your brother. So anything is possible.

Aoleon sighed and nodded. Not so much giving me problems as he’s been…I don’t know…being really weird about it. Kŵanza* being Kŵanza.

Samahdemn nodded knowingly and waived a dismissive hand. He’s just jealous. He always has been.

So I’ve noticed.

Why would you hide it? Why not tell me?

I don’t know. she said; shrugging her shoulders. I didn’t know how you’d take it I suppose. She’s…your friend. A close friend. The great-great-granddaughter of one of the men you once named my godfather. Frankly, I just thought you’d not be very keen on the idea, if not against it outright. I mean, if I’m being fair, I don’t honestly know how I’d feel in the same situation – if my best friend were warming up to my first born. If I could be clear headed about it.

That’s understandable I suppose. Wrong, but understandable. Let me be clear. I don’t care that you’re dating someone in my inner circle. Never have. Never will. If I couldn’t trust her, then I wouldn’t call her my friend in the first place.

- Reflections on the Dįvonësë War: Dark Whispers Above the Clouds”
― S.H.Robinson