KL Forslund
The State of Black Science Fiction
Updated: Mar 14, 2021
We honor the dead on Memorial Day, but they’re here to remind us every day. We forgive on Forgiveness Day, but we should be doing that every day. Nobody should wait until the special day. The day is meant to reinforce what we should already be doing. February is Black History Month, and we know there’s thousands of years of Black History.
Part of that history is writers of color who’ve been filling the alleged void of Black Science Fiction (and Fantasy!). Some of the stories are about being Black, some are about people who happen to be Black. All of them are fantastic. Some are mainstream, but many are independently published. They’ve taken the hard road where mainstream publishers are just awakening to looking for voices like theirs.
Hear them.
Now.
I set out on the easy road and scroll through my friends’ pages and groups to make a list article. It took long enough that my back hurts. Good. Pain gives the work meaning. The list is not a completed work, but neither is history. There’s always something going on. Read and if you can, add to it.
Black Authors and Where to Find Them
Al Stewart
https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/issho-ni/list?title_no=278326
Alan Jones
https://www.amazon.com/Alan-D-Jones/e/B076YRP3B7%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Aleron Kong
Alex Smith (I think this is the right one, maybe)
Alex Jennings
Alexander Simmons
https://simmonshereandnow.com/
Alicia McCalla
Andrea Hairston
Antoine Bandele
https://www.antoinebandele.com/
Ashleigh Davenport
https://linktr.ee/AshWritesLots
Athena Persephoni
https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/rbooker1003
Aurelius Raines
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17773423.Aurelius_Raines_II
Baba Okiki-Ifa Oluso
https://www.facebook.com/OlusoIfalaja13
Balogun Ojetade
https://chroniclesofharriet.com/
Bob McNeil
https://grandmamosespress.com/2021/02/02/black-lives-matter-introducing-bob-mcneil/
Brandon Rouse
https://linktr.ee/Powerlessbybr
Brandon O'Brien
https://www.brandonobrien.space/
Brent Lambert
https://www.linkedin.com/in/blwritings
Brittni Chenelle
https://www.amazon.com/Brittni-Chenelle/e/B00K4SAKOO/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
Bryan D. Convington
https://betweenmagicanddreams.com/
Cadwell Turnbull
Carl Hancock Rux
Carole McDonnell
http://www.amazon.com/Carole-McDonnell/e/B0034Q3BWG/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
C. C. Ekeke
https://www.amazon.com/C-C-Ekeke/e/B005GIBHNK/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
Cecil Washington
Celestian Antrig Brightmoon
https://www.illustratoroffantasies.com/shop
Cerece Rennie Murphy
https://www.cerecerenniemurphy.com/
Charles Saunders
https://differentdrumming.com/
Charlie J. Eskew
https://www.amazon.com/Charlie-J-Eskew/e/B07HB78G4B%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Christopher A. Hunter
Christopher Chambers
https://www.amazon.com/Christopher-Chambers/e/B001H6Q096%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Christopher Surratt
Cole Riley
Colson Whitehead
https://www.colsonwhitehead.com/
Danian Darrell Jerry
https://twitter.com/danianjerry?lang=en
Daniel Jose Older
Darryl Dawson
https://www.darryldawsonbooks.com/
DaVaun Saunders
David Anthony Durham
https://www.amazon.com/David-Anthony-Durham/e/B001H6PMTU
Denny Upkins
https://dennisupkins.wordpress.com/
Derrick A. Bell
https://www.amazon.com/Derrick-A-Bell/e/B001HD0VCQ/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
Derrick Ferguson
Deston J. Munden
https://www.amazon.com/Deston-J-Munden/e/B07Q2D6948/
Dewaine Farria
https://www.dewainefarria.com/
DeWayne Copeland
Donovan Hall
https://twitter.com/Donovan49951130
Dwayne A. Madry
Dwayne McDuffie
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwayne_McDuffie
Echo Ishi
https://echoishiizone.com/about/
Edward Austin Hall
https://www.amazon.com/Edward-Austin-Hall/e/B00G5GMYKM/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1
Ekpeki Donald Oghenechovwe
Elwin Michael Cotman
Emmy Jackson
Enock Simbaya
Errick Nunnally
http://errick-nunnally.squarespace.com/
Eugen Bacon
Evan Winter
Frederick S. Blackmon
https://www.amazon.com/Frederick-S-Blackmon/e/B013SAX4W4%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Geoffrey Thorne
https://www.geoffreythorne.com/
Gloria Sanders Williams
https://www.amazon.com/Gloria-Sanders-Williams/e/B004N6SWO8
Hannibal Tabu
Howard Night
Ismael Reed
Jahmil Effend
James Beamon
https://www.amazon.com/James-Beamon/e/B003GS3MYE
James L Hill
http://jlhill-books.com/index.html
Jarla Tangh
http://jarlatangh.blogspot.com/
Jason Malcom Stewart
Jelani Wilson
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/15864602.Jelani_Wilson
Jesse J. Holland
https://www.amazon.com/Jesse-J-Holland/e/B002BLY2VE/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
Jessie L. Sifford
https://www.amazon.com/Jessie-l-Sifford/e/B07C3GQHG4/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1
John H. Sibley
John Jennings
https://twitter.com/JIJennings
Justin C. Key
Justina Ireland
https://www.authorjustinaireland.com/
K Ceres Wright
K. R. S. McEntire
https://www.amazon.com/K-R-S-McEntire/e/B083QZ558W/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
KC King
Keith Gaston
https://www.amazon.com/Keith-Gaston/e/B009DUWQ5K%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Keith Hayden
Kyoko M
Kwame Mbalia
Letitia Carelock
http://shewhowritesmonsters.com/
Leon Clarke
Levar Burton
Mack Little
https://www.ellysianpress.com/authors/mack-little/
Malcom Morrow
https://www.killersindisguise.com/
Marc L Abbot
Marlon James
https://www.marlonjameswriter.com/
Mat Johnson
Maurice Broadus
Maurice Ruffin
https://loweramericanson.com/we-cast-a-shadow/about/
Milton Davis
Minister Faust (aka Malcolm Azania)
N. K. Jemisin
Nalo Hopkinson
https://www.nalohopkinson.com/
Namina Forna
Napoleon Wells
https://twitter.com/NapoleonBXSith
Nicole Givens Kurtz
https://nicolegivenskurtz.net/
Nisi Shawl
Nnedi Okorafor
Nmesoma Okechukwu
https://www.amazon.com/Nmesoma-Okechukwu/e/B07WXMCH1H/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
Octavia Butler
https://www.octaviabutler.com/
Odie Hawkins
Percival Everett
Pierre Demery
P.Djèlí Clark
Penelope Flynn
https://www.penelopeflynn.com/booksandmedia
Q Allen
https://www.amazon.com/Q-Allen/e/B077KF5Z4D/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
R Alan Brooks
Rachel Cox
https://coxhenry9.wixsite.com/rachaelcox-writing
Rob Cameron
Ronald T. Jones
https://www.amazon.com/Ronald-T-Jones/e/B002C1OJ8Y?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1612331021&sr=1-1
Ruth de Jauregui
https://www.alienstarbooks.com/
Samuel Delaney
Steve Bellinger
Steven Barnes
Steven Van Patten
Tade Thompson
https://www.amazon.com/Tade-Thompson/e/B00KU8RQFO%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Ta-Nehisi Coates
Tananarive Due
https://www.tananarivedue.com/
T.C. Morgan
https://instagram.com/authortcmorgan?igshid=guzhszva4vlc
T. L. Thompson
https://www.authortlthompson.com/
Thomas Davis
https://www.versatile-layer.com/
Thomas Webb
https://www.thomaswebbbooks.com/
Tim Fielder
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/infinitum-tim-fielder?variant=33007863824418
Timothy Lee Reed
https://www.amazon.com/Timothy-Lee-Reed/e/B08JYK5TBG/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
Tobias S Buckell
Tochi Onyebuchi
https://www.tochionyebuchi.com/
Toni Adeyemi
Troy L. Wiggins
Valjeanne Jeffers
https://www.amazon.com/Valjeanne-Jeffers/e/B00BNK230G%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Victor Lavalle
Violette Meier
Walter Mosley
W. E. B. Du Bois
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7241256-the-comet
William Hayashi
https://www.amazon.com/William-Hayashi/e/B0034WN86O%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Wole Talabi
https://wtalabi.wordpress.com/
Zig Zag Claybourne (Clarence Young)
http://www.writeonrighton.com/
Black Comic and Book Publishing Companies
During my search, I found companies making comic books and books and more.
Brown Band Entertainment
Diskordia
Etan Comics
Griot Enterprises
https://www.griotenterprises.com/
Heroes of the World
https://theheroesoftheworld.com/
Kronket Comics
https://www.konkretcomics.com/
MV Media
PBS Media
RAE Comics
Sistah Scifi
Sovereign Comics
https://sovereigncomicsllc.square.site/
Visonary Studios
https://www.thecatalystjax.com/
Wingless Entertainment
https://www.winglessent.com/comics
Write On Right On
http://www.writeonrighton.com/index.html
Credit Where It's Due
I could not have built this list without the work Milton Davis put in on his site MV Media and The State of Black Science Fiction facebook group. I pretty much scrolled and found names and tested links for everybody who created there. It is a good place to learn about Black Fiction, expand the diversity of you reading, and meet some pretty cool people to talk about The Expanse and Wakanda.
https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=the%20state%20of%20black%20science%20fiction
More
A Twitter friend of mine, Gabino Iglesias tackled a list of Black Authors You Should Read last year. My list is shorter than his, and his was a pebble from the mountain.
https://litreactor.com/columns/black-authors-you-should-read
Feedback
If there’s a typo, bad link or an author I missed, let me know in the comments. The work is not complete.