How Afrofuturism Can Inspire a Better Post-Pandemic World

They may be works of fiction and art, but the “Black Panther” blockbuster and the “cosmic” compositions of jazz legend Sun Ra represent a genre that could offer inspiration for how we rebuild in a post-pandemic future.

Afrofuturism is an artistic movement that re-imagines worlds through the lens of black culture, including science, technology, and the arts. While it most commonly appears in science fiction, the genre extends across literature, music, and philosophy. It essentially paints more realistic images of a future from the perspective of a segment of Western society that has long been marginalized.

Nearly two years of global pandemic and the increasing ravages of climate change have led many to turn to art to glean some hope that things might get better — or to consider how they might get worse.

Afrofuturism has for decades offered visions of how to build fundamentally different worlds and societies. Now, more than ever, society needs new approaches and ideas for confronting global challenges, and Afrofuturism is proving to be a vital tool for thinking about near-future possibilities. Futurists ask how tomorrow’s hoverboards and flying cars will be made. Afrofuturists ask who will build them. Due to its focus on human struggle, Afrofuturism also provides critical perspectives on the last…