Intro

Hello, everyone. I would like to talk about one of my favorite genres: Afrofuturism. This is an interstellar, absurdist, and gorgeous genre that questions why Black people are not portrayed in futurisitc media. The visual media (like film, tv shows, and comics) dedicated to Afrofuturism also feature some spectacular costuming. We will define and redefine the genre, talk about its history, and look through some iconic visual motifs found in Afrofuturist media.

Afrofuturism History

Afrofuturism. It is a word unfamiliar to many, but people across the globe consume Afrofuturist media. In fact, the genre influences fashion, vernacular, and even the way people perceive Black culture. Despite the genre’s wide reach, many people do not know some of their favorite movies and comics fall under the genre. The term was coined in 1993 by the American cultural critic Mark Dery. He describes Afrofuturism as “[s]peculative fiction that treats African-American themes and addresses African-American concerns in the context of twentieth-century technoculture — and, more generally, African-American signification that appropriates images of technology and a prosthetically enhanced future” (Dery, 1994, p. 180). This definition is quite narrow. Overtime, scholars have come up with and adopted their own definitions for the genre. For this essay, I define Afrofuturism as media featuring science fiction, fantasy, and futuristic concepts that imagine a world where Blackness and its history are central.

One of the first instances of Afrofuturism in films was Sun Ra’s Space is the Place (1974). This movie follows a man as he tries to encourage Black people living in the U.S. to move to another planet where they will not face racial injustices or discrimination. Along with this hopeful message came stunning costumes. From ancient Egyptian-inspired head-dresses to robes covered in planets, Space is the Place made sure that the costumes were focal points of the film. Although Space is the Place is a classic example of an Afrofuturistic film, audiences may not immediately connect the film with the genre and sadly many others are not aware of the film’s existence.

In Ytasha Womack’s Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-fi and Fantasy Culture, she mentions a website created by Jarvis Sheffield called BlackScienceFiction.com where Black sci-fi creators could post their work (2013, p. 20). Although this site does not currently exist, an internet search reveals that there are several hundred sites which focus on Afrofuturist media. These sites ranged from blogs to historically Black magazines, like Essence.com. University libraries are a common source for Afrofuturist content; however, sometimes these sites are inaccessible or difficult to navigate. Furthermore, most of the university sites do not mention the fashion aspect of Afrofuturism.

What is Afrofuturist Fashion

In Afrofuturism, fashion takes on an especially important role in imagining how Black cultural aesthetics would translate into fashion in futuristic societies. For this essay, I will focus on six fashion motifs: metallic aesthetics, leather, Pan-African print and iconography, celestial elements, technological accessories, and dandyism.

Metal

Metal has been used as a fashion accessory across cultures and time. The Black diaspora has used metals to embellish and emphasize their clothing for a long time. Tribes across the African continent utilize jewelry to signify wealth, marital status, and showcase craftsmanship. Ashanti jewelry proudly boasts the beauty of gold in their pieces. The Fulani people wear gold hoop earrings (Adorning the body, 2024). Black Americans who descended from chattle slavery embraced their ancestral tradition of wearing metallic jewelry. From gold hoops to diamond studs, earrings are a staple in Black American fashion (Garcia, 2024). My ears were pierced as a child, and I was adorned in earrings for many years. The Black women around me made it clear that wearing earrings, bracelets, and other jewelry was important because it is cultural staple.

Leather

Leather also serves an important role in the Black community. In the early 60s, leather became a symbol of counter-culture for some Black Americans. The Black Panther Party, a Black rights group, cultivated a uniform consisting of all black leather jacket, pants, beret, and gloves. Black Panther Party members were seen as militant, so they dressed the part (Ogbar, 2016, p. 132). This intentional uniform was created to show a military-like uniformity, so it would be harder to single out any one member. The leather jackets were something that a lot of people owned, so it was easy to loan one or don one for marches and demonstrations (Taylor, 2022). Black people across the diaspora continue to wear leather as statement pieces because it has an edge to it that other fabrics do not.

Pan-African Print

The Black diaspora is vast due to the trans-Atlantic slave trade and immigration. The trans-atlantic slave trade was a tragic act of brutality that left many without concrete ties to their homelands. Becaus of this separation, Black people across the Americas have created their own hybrid culture that takes inspiration from African culture and that of the Americas. This is still seen today with Black people wearing Kente clothes, which are Ghanaian patterns with vibrant, clashing colors. Often these patterns are used in daishikis or suits in African American culture. It is important to note that there is no one print that spans the continent. Prints, cloths, and textiles vary from tribe to tribe. For Black people from the Americas and Carribean, they have created their own facsimile of these prints in order to connect with a culture that was stripped from them.

Celestial Bodies

Many forms of Black media use celestial bodies as a metaphor for hope. Oftentimes, when people think of the future they think of space travel. There is so much that is unknown to people and outerspace is an enticing discovery. The U.S. government gives approximately $20-30 million dollars to NASA every year (NASA). Many countries are working towards colonizing the moon or Mars. For many people, outerspace is a new, undiscovered place that can be explored. For many Black people, outer space provides an unknown and unexplored area where people can create a world without hardships. For hundreds of years, Black people have been exploited and colonized on this planet. Afrofuturism explores non-dystopic worlds where Blackness is not hated or vilified. Instead, it is celebrated and loved. This fashion motif usually manifests as patterning on clothing or celestial-shaped accessories.

Technologies

Black people have invented numerous technologies, despite not being credited for many of them. Without Black inventors, we would not have things like the electric microphone, stop lights, colored computer screens (Morgan, 2024). As time progresses, Black people continue to invent and improve on things. In terms of fashion, technology often shows up as accessories or are woven into the clothing. In Afrofuturism, there is a lot of room for exploration. Black people continue to imagine what invention or technological innovation will change life in the future. 

Dandyism

Finally, dandyism is the act of “stylin’ out… dressing to the nines” (Miller, 2009, p. 1). For enslaved Black Americans this meant taking their slave owners’ clothes and stitching them together using West African patterning to create elaborate outfits (White and White, 1998, p. 24). Another example of dandyism in the Black community is the suit culture. Dandyism crosses gender lines, as well. For Black dandies, hyper-masculinity and hyper-femininity are expressed through clothing. Clothing that is bright, powerful, and tailored tends to blur the lines between masculinity and femininity (Lascity, 2021, pp. 60-61). This elaborate way of dressing is an interesting part of Black culture that emphasizes grandiosity.

Examples in Media

Metals

There are many pieces of media out there that feature metal jewelry and embrace Black futures. Missy Elliott’s Supa Dupa Fly is an iconic music video that feels futuristic, Black, and golden. Missy Elliot proudly wears gold hoops while dancing in a trash bag in a chrome room. Her lyrics proclaim that she is confident and self-assured. Another Afrofuturist music video is SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY by Amaarae, Moliy, and Kali Uchis. This music video feels like a scene from a movie with its atmosphere and editing. Amaarae is beautifully clad in gold as she sings about the finer things in life on an elevator. Finally, They  Cloned Tyrone (2023) is a comedic film about a Black man (John Boyega) who discovers that he is a clone. This film has numerous characters who wear gold grills, bangles, and chains. This film pokes at the belief that all Black Americans are the same while also pointing out real circumstances that have systematically disenfranchised us.

Leather

One of the most well-known Black superheros is almost always in a long, leather jacket. In the Blade trilogy, the main character, Blade (Wesley Snipes), wears his short, cropped afro, dark sunglasses, and full leather outfits. The style choice in Blade (1998) is reminiscent of the Black Panther Party in the 1960s. Blade’s costume design is arguably inspired by those of the Black Panther Party members because they both come from similar backgrounds. Both were ostracized by the dominant society, fighting for their rights through militant action, and working towards staying within their own community. 

Pan-African Print

As stated above, Pan-African print and patterns are often in Afrofuturist media because there is a longing to connect the diaspora. This is seen in the Black Panther film franchise and comic series which follows the Black Panther as he tries to maintain peace in his land and abroad. The creators of Black Panther utilize existing prints and patterns from real African countries in this fictional African nation. Another example is New Masters, the graphic novel series, by Shobo and Shof Coker. This series follows some misfits as they try to live under alien colonialism in a futuristic West Africa. Being in West Africa, the characters wear clothing from that region, including bright colors, stark silhouettes, and simplistic patterning. Finally, Sun Ra’s Space is the Place (1974) imagnes a world where Black people can live peacefully and happily on a different planet. Sun Ra comes back to Earth to convince Black people to go this planet, and he is decked out in Egyptian pharaoh-like garb. This is one of the first cited Afrofuturist films. It continues to serve as an optimistic look at the future of Blackness on this planet and beyond.

Celestial Bodies

Afrofuturism does not always center around space, but it is a common trope in the genre. The jazz-funk band Parliament-Funkadelic often wore star motifs on their clothes and glasses. This innovative band took funk to new heights and grew the influence of Black musicians. Their psychedelic music celebrated Blackness, weirdness, and funk. Afronauts (2014) is about a few Zambian people who are tying to beat the U.S. to the moon. This heartfelt film sends a young woman to the moon. The shots of her in her spacesuit evoke a sense of calm as she sets out to explore what the moon has to offer. In a similar vein, Brother from Another Planet (1984) features a Black alien who lands on Earth and is trying to outrun white government agents. He is taken in and protected by the local Black people as he learns how to navigate a racist place. We briefly see him in his spacesuit. Although this fashion motif is not always present, we know that he is an alien, so everything he wears is celestial in a way.

Technologies

There is bound to be cool, new technologies in science fiction media. The Star Trek adaptations Deep Space Nine (1993-1999) and Discovery (2017-2024) both showcase fun technological accessories. In Deep Space Nine, this is mostly in the form of accessibility technology like specialized glasses or hearing devices. Discovery features some more complicated devices like collapsable helmets and projection bracelets. Far Sector is an adaptation of the Green Lantern comic series. This Green Lantern is a Black woman who has to amend the peace in a fraying society. As a Green Lantern, her suit is made of a futuristic technology that runs on her potent magical abilities. Also, the world has artificial intelligence (A.I.) that wear clothing, and what combines tech and fashion better than a robot in clothes? Finally, the television show Iwájú (2024) is a British-Nigerian kids show that imagines a futuristic Nigeria. There are electronic necklaces and bracelets that glow blue under the gold. 

Dandyism

Black people adore dressing to the nines. In Bitter Root, a comic series about a Black family that hunts monsters in 1920s Harlem, there are incredibly styled outfits. 1920s Harlem, New York was known for its high stylin’. People often wore suits and fur-lined coats to appear affluent. This family is no different. They are often in neutral colors, but the clothing is always on point. They wear clean-cut suits and dresses, ascots and necklaces, and big headresses. Janelle Monae’s stunning, colorful suit collection is a great representation of this style. In her “emotion picture” Dirty Computer (2018), she wears a dark red suit, white heeled-boots, and a dark red Kufi hat. She wears suits cut for masculine figures, but she maintains a feminine air by wearing heels. Thus, blurring the lines of what is masculine and feminine

Conclusion

In short, Afrofuturism is a vast genre that invites Black people to be seen and loved in the future and present. I love Afrofuturism because it does not try to put Blackness in a box or hide it from view. Being Black is front and center. Afrofuturism allows for difficult conversations without harboring on the grotesque. In my opinion, for something to be Afrofuturist, it needs to be hopeful. Others would agree that Afrofuturism is not meant to be dystopic (Toliver, 2021). There needs to be a hopeful tone about the state of society or the future of Black people. The visualization of a utopia for Black people can positively influence Black people right now into believing in and hoping for a more positive future. Thus, the focus on Afrofuturism provides the opportunity to create an uplifting message of hope and the possibility of better for a group that has been and often still is marginalized and disenfranchised. Thank you for reading this. I hope you enjoyed it or at least learned something interesting!

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Media Mentioned

Films

• Space is the Place (1974) 
• They Cloned Tyrone (2023)
• Bother From Another Planet (1984)
• Afronauts (2014)
• Blade trilogy
• Black Panther film franchise
• Dirty Computer (2018)

Music Videos

• Supa Dupa Fly by Missy Elliot 
• SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY by Amaarae, Kali Uchis, and Moliy
• Parliament-Funkadelic (aka P-Funk)

Graphic Novels

• Black Panther comics
• New Masters by Shobo and Shof Coker
• Far Sector by N.K. Jemisin
• Bitter Root by Walker, Brown, Greene, Renzi, and Cowles

Television Shows

• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)
• Star Trek: Discovery (2017-2024)
• Iwájú (2024)

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References

Adorning the Body: Historical Significance of African Jewellery (2024, Jan. 29). Ciafe. https://www.ciafe.org/post/adorning-the-body-historical-significance-of-african-jewellery.

Dery, M. (1994). Black to the future: Interviews with Samuel R. Delany, Greg Tate, and Tricia Rose. In M. Dery (Eds.), Flame Wars: The discourse of cyberculture. (pp. 179-222). Duke University Press. 

Garcia, G. (2024, Jan. 5). The Unrelenting Power of Hoop Earrings In Black and Latinx Communities. Editorialist. https://editorialist.com/fashion/hoop-earrings-history/. 

Lascity, M. (2021). Communicating fashion: Clothing, culture and media. Bloomsbury Visual Arts.

Morgan, T. (2024, Feb. 21). 8 Black Inventors Who Made Daily Life Easier. History. https://www.history.com/news/8-black-inventors-african-american. 

NASA (n.d.). NASA Fiscal Year 2024 Full Budget Summary. https://www.nasa.gov/nasa-fiscal-year-2024-budget-request/. 

Ogbar, J. (2016). Black Power: The looks. In S. Diouf and K. Woodward (Eds.), Black Power 50 (pp. 125-136). The New Press.

Taylor, N. (2022). More than a Fashion Statement: The Symbolism behind the Black Panther Party Uniform. Smithsonian. https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/black-panther-party-uniform. 

Toliver, S. R. (2021, Apr.). Defining Afrofuturism. Reading Black Futures. https://readingblackfutures.com/defining-afrofuturism/. 

White, G. and White, S. (1998). Stylin’. Cornell University Press.

Womack, Y. (2013). Afrofuturism: The world of black sci-fi and fantasy culture. Lawrence Hill Books.