SAC, Evans Library Celebrate Afrofuturism in Annual African American Read-In
More than 100 people filled the lobby of Florida Tech’s Evans Library Feb. 16 at the 9th Annual African American Read-In, where they learned about the Afrofuturism cultural movement and its expression through Black literature, the arts and popular culture.
“Strap yourselves in because we are going on an awesome ride today, learning and celebrating Afrofuturism through song, readings, poems and spoken word,” said Rebekah Pratt ’23, the event’s emcee.
Sponsored by the School of Arts and Communication (SAC) and Evans Library, the read-in is free to the community and is one of the largest annual celebrations of Black literature on the Space Coast.
This year included theme-related performances by students, alumni, faculty and local talent. As a new element, the event also featured a keynote address on Afrofuturism by Clarissa West-White, a university archivist and assistant professor at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida.
West-White explained how Afrofuturism is the modern expression of Black consciousness and freedom, combining themes of science fiction, technology and fantasy with elements of Black history. It is illustrated through art, literature, music and other creative works to capture visions of what life could be like for African Americans in the future, and what it would take to get there, she said.
“This event was an opportunity for everyone to learn more about a cultural movement that has gained momentum in recent years but has deep roots in the past,” said Nancy Garmer, interim dean of libraries and one of the event’s co-founders.
“This event was an opportunity for everyone to learn more about a cultural movement that has gained momentum in recent years but has deep roots in the past.”
Nancy Garmer, interim dean of libraries
The movement threads itself through the literary works of writers like W.E.B. Du Bois and Octavia Butler, the late science fiction author who also is considered the mother of the genre, with such books as Wild Seed, Parable of the Sower and Kindred. The genre is also expressed in music and performances by artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Parliament Funkadelic, André 3000, Erykah Badu and Janelle Monáe.
“Dr. West-White’s talk was very interesting and educational,” said Sandra Pelham, a longtime Melbourne resident and community activist who attended the event with her son, Javon, and two of her grandchildren. “I had not heard about Afrofuturism before coming to the read-in, but I instantly recognized some of the references she touched on.”
Pelham’s response was akin to observations event co-founder and SAC instructor Rolanda Hatcher-Gallop ’10 M.S. heard from several attendees throughout the night.
“This event revealed how we’ve seen elements of Afrofuturism expressed in fashion, music and popular culture for some time now but didn’t identify it with that term,” she said. “For instance, anyone who watched the Super Bowl halftime show saw the singer Usher wearing clothing that could be worn in the fictional, tech-rich kingdom of Wakanda. Some of his outfits were Afrofuturistic, in that sense.”
