The roots of Black History Month extend to 19th Century celebrations of freedom and African American achievement. Black History Month started out in 1895 as a celebration of the birthdate of Frederick Douglass led by activist Mary Church Terrell. Carter G. Woodson is known for then growing this celebration into Black History Week. Since 1986, Black History Month has been recognized by the U.S. Congress.
This Black History Month, we are featuring resources from the City Colleges of Chicago Libraries and found online with the theme of Afrofuturism. Afrofuturism refers to art, music, and literature that reimagine the African American experience through a science fiction and fantasy lens. The theme is grounded in an examination of ancient African cultures, and imagines a world where these experiences are the foundations of society. From early writers such as Frances E.W. Harper and W.E.B. DuBois, funk musicians Sun-Ra and Grace Jones, to current works by N.K. Jemisin and Tobe Nwigwe, Afrofuturism encompasses a variety of subjects and modes of presentation.
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Check out this selection of related readings available as eBooks through the City Colleges of Chicago Libraries catalog.
