By Author Michelle D. Jackson
When I was a teenager, I read the book Kindred by Octavia E. Butler, which changed my life. At the time, I'd never heard of a black sci-fi writer and I must admit, I didn't realize until I was older that Butler was just that. To me, she was a storyteller with untamed creativity, a wizard of words who chose to entertain us with fiction deeply rooted in imagery and mystery spawned by the history of black people. It wasn't sci-fi or fantasy; it was real. She was real, and I'm grateful to have experienced her.
As we honor a legend, we must recognize that Butler, like so many great black writers, played a crucial role in influencing our love for the arts. Almost fifty years after she sold her first story, Butler, who passed away in 2006, finally made the New York Times Best Seller list in 2020. And although her books never needed anyone to celebrate them other than her faithful fans, the honor is well-deserved.
In this week's e-newsletter, we hope to expose you to black sci-fi/fantasy writers and to encourage you to leap into a genre that continues to awaken our imagination.
To learn more about Octavia E. Butler, visit HERE.
