Posted in Monthly Book Recommendations, On the Desk..., On The Radar

Dr. G’s Monthly Book Recommendations-May 2024

TGIF!! I know you thought, did Dr. G forget about us? Not at all, closing out the month with a few literary gems to get you prepared for the summer. And I can literally vouch for each of the books…you say how? Well, they are all a part of my personal library!! Matter of fact a few of them are even on my summer reading list. So grab your wallets and add some books to your carts!! And as always, Don’t forget to support your local bookstores!!

Check out May’s Monthly Book Recommendations below:

  • A Thousand Words on Race and Hope: Light For the World To See ~Kwame Alexander
  • Nigeria Jones ~ Ibi Zoboi
  • Mr. Jimmy from Around the Way ~Jeffrey Blount
  • Blackness is Burning: Civil Rights, Popular Culture, and the Problem of Recognition ~TreaAndrea M. Russworm
  • Feenin: R&B Music and the Materiality of BlackFem Voices and Technology ~Alexander G. Weheliye
  • Souls of Black Folk: A Graphic Interpretation ~W.E.B. DuBois & Paul Peart-Smith
  • Life, I Swear: Intimate Stories from Black Women on Identity, Healing, and Self-Trust ~Chloe Dulce Louvouezo
  • Textures: The History and Art of Black Hair ~The KSU Museum & HIRMER

As an Extra Bonus…If need something to do for the summer and want to support your favorite author, check out these upcoming Book Festivals:

And as always, remember you can always go back and check out previous lists in the “Resource” section of the website!

Posted in A Professor's Thoughts..., Resources

“Black Futures Matter”- Afrofuturism 101 Reading & Movie List

So recently I have had many people ask what would I recommend as an introduction into Afrofuturism. This is something that I am always talking about, teaching, and or even consuming for myself, so why not have a list for beginners! And voila…I compiled various books, short stories, comic books, graphic novels, children and YA fiction, and movies that offer a unique look into Afrofuturism.

Books

  • Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture ~Ytasha Womack
  • Afrofuturism 2.0: The Rise of Astro-Blackness ~Edited by Reynaldo Anderson & Charles E. Jones
  • Beloved ~Toni Morrison
  • Kindred ~Octavia Butler
  • Wild Seed ~Octavia Butler
  • Brown Girl in the Ring ~Nalo Hopkinson
  • The Conductors ~Nicole Glover
  • How Long ‘Til Black Future Month? ~N.K. Jemisin
  • Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora ~Edited by Sheree Thomas
  • Dark Matter: Reading the Bones ~Edited by Sheree Thomas
  • Black No More: Being an Account of the Strange and Wonderful Working of Science in the Land of the Free ~George Schuyler
  • Lion’s Blood ~Steven Barnes
  • Zulu Heart ~Steven Barnes
  • Black Leopard, Red Wolf ~Marlon James
  • Minions: A Vampire Huntress Legend ~L.A. Banks
  • Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements ~Edited by Walidah Imarisha & adrienne maree brown 
  • Black Kirby: In Search of the MotherBoxx Connection ~John Jennings & Stacey Robinson 
  • Mothership Tales: Tales from Afrofuturism and Beyond ~Edited by Bill Campbell & Edward Austin Hall

Short Stories/Lecture

  • “The Princess Steel” & “The Comet” ~W.E.B. Du Bois
  • “Caramelle 1864” ~Jewelle Gomez
  • “I Left My Heart in Skaftafell” ~Victor LaValle
  • “Don’t Go There” ~Tracy Cross
  • “Ain’t I a Woman” ~Sojourner Truth

Comic Books/Graphic Novels

  • Matty’s Rocket and Infinitude: An Afrofuturist Tale ~Tim Fielder
  • Far Sector (DC Comics) ~N.K. Jemisin
  • Eve (Boom! Studios) ~Victor LaValle
  • Hardware, Blood Syndicate, Static (Milestone Media)
  • Livewire (Valiant Comics)
  • Ironheart (Marvel Comics)
  • Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (Marvel Comics)

Children/YA Fiction

  • Bayou Magic ~Jewel Parker Rhodes
  • Malice in Ovenland ~Micheline Hess
  • Ikenga and Shuri: A Black Panther Novel ~Nnedi Okorafor
  • Raybearer ~Jordan Ifueko
  • Children of Blood and Bone and Children of Virtue and Vengeance ~Tomi Adeyemi
  • The Gilded Ones ~Namina Forna

Movies

  • Space is the Place (1974)
  • The Wiz (1978)
  • Black Panther (2018)
  • Hidden Figures (2016)
  • Get Out (2017)
  • Us (2019)
  • Antebellum (2020)
  • Sorry to Bother You (2018)
  • Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
  • See You Yesterday (2019)
  • District 9 (2009)