Class Notes for November 11 2020

Race and Science Fiction 

Afrofuturism  

Space is the place 

Thoughts: 

Was very different. 

Confused; had to watch it twice 

There is a lot going on in the film. Both aesthetically and historically 

Songs to show everyone’s different frequency 

Bets on who would win. 

 

When you work on sources for annotated bibliography, it doesn’t have to solely be in this area. 

How did the film make u think about race and science fiction? 

Sparse responses 

 

Watched Dust Sci-Fi Digital Series “Afrofuturism” Sun Ra Part 1 and take notes 

What does it say that the message still resonates with us? 

What else does the series bring up? 

The pyramid in the movies 

The “Space in the Place” clothes 

Arkestra being a pun of orchestra. (music is the bridge to outer worldliness) 

 

Watched Afrofuturism Explained: Not Just Black Sci-Fi | Inverse and take notes 

Ideas from video (Ripped from chat): 

“This is not our land. This is not our people.” 

Afrofuturism provides an avenue to transform ourselves and communities 

Clothes being made to openly show how person is inside. (Freeart Clothing) 

Afrofuturism is not a concept that just became a thing, its something that people liker Harriet Tubman did when she arose to create a better future for people of color. 

“Black women, for example are often hypersexualized leaving them at a greater risk for sexual assault and violence.” 

To me, Afrofuturism isn’t like Marvel’s Black Panther in the sense of Vibranium technology and advancements, it’s like Black Panther in the idea of having a Kingdom of only Black People. A place where the oppressed are the prosperous ones.  

I liked how a lot of the fashion and music were pretty experimental. I couldn’t hear much from the song that girl was singing but it just sounded like a heavily distorted language 

we have used their work of art to see how they live their life. audiobility to see how they sound like.  its ironic how black people can be hyper-visible and hyper-invisible.  afroturism is the pathway to black liberty. 

For this video the part I noticed is afrofuturism is to see themselves in the future despite a distressing time now. To me it sounds similar to paradise or utopia where people forget about the 500 plus years of slavery and racism. 

“a 500 year history of colonialism, slavery, racism and segregation have left people of African diaspora with a disjointed idea of what it really means to be home” 

Afrofuturism gives the representation that is normally ignored in science fiction, while also more directly tackling the themes that science fiction references. 

 

Conversation of the film 

Dun Ra is a trying to be a prophet. Bring them away from their treatment. They are skeptical of Sun Ra’s motives because of history. 

Overseer vs Sun Ra; Anarchy vs utopia; working with the system or pulling them out (scene in the beginning when Sun Ra talks about bringing black people to another place with music.) 

Alter-Destiny 

Jimmy Fey split of black and white soul 

Music get dense when something happens in the movie 

Some people thought Sun Ra was doing the music only for money and fame. 

NASA trying to steal secrets from Sun Ra.  Bubbles takes a shot for Sun Ra.  Conflict between Black people’s creative and artistic idea to be co-oped and commodify. 

Overseer’s position. (antagonist) exploit to get ahead does not seem to have the black people at heart 

“Everything you desire from this planet and never have received will be yours in outer space. ” Quote says a place that will come true in Outerspace.  Saying that the space in Outerspace is going to be a kingdom of heaven type thing.  Dope shooting person allowed onto ship because he doesn’t seem to feel he fits in on earth. 

 

 

Please do the readings assigned.