The Space for Race: Black American Exile and the Rise of Afro-Speculation reading

Introduction

  • Title: "The Space for Race: Black American Exile and the Rise of Afro-Speculation"

  • Author: Michelle D. Commander

  • Published in ASAP/Journal, Volume 1, Number 3, September 2016, pp. 409-437

  • Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/asa.2016.0039

  • Accessibility: Available on Project MUSE

Overview

  • The article discusses the interplay between race, specifically Black American experiences of exile, and the concept of Afro-speculation.

  • It highlights historical and contemporary artistic expressions reflecting these themes.

Key Quotes and Context

  • Quote from Samuel F. Downer, LTV Aerospace:

    • “If you’re president and you need a control factor in the economy… you can’t sell Harlem and Watts but you can sell self-preservation, a new environment…”

    • Context: Reflects the socio-political climate of the time and the view that marginalized communities were often ignored in favor of more profitable narratives.

Comic Reference: "Judgment Day!"

  • Published in EC Comics’ INCREDIBLE SCIENCE FICTION #33, reprinted in February 1956.

  • Authors: Al Feldstein (writer) and Joe Orlando (artist).

  • Plot Synopsis:

    • Tarlton, an astronaut, visits the planet Cybrinia populated by orange and blue robots.

    • The orange robots have power and privilege, while blue robots are marginalized despite being identical in functionality.

  • Allegorical Significance:

    • Tarlton’s realization that Cybrinia is not ready to join the Galactic Republic highlights entrenched racism mirroring real-world America prior to the civil rights movement.

Racial Allegory and Comics Code Authority

  • The character Tarlton is revealed as Black, creating a provocative commentary on mid-century racism.

  • The Comics Code Authority, aiming to censor politically relevant content, objected to the depiction of a Black astronaut.

  • Outcome:

    • The comic was published unchanged, showcasing the tension between creative expression and censorship in the 1950s.

Black Speculative Arts

  • The significance of Black speculative arts encompasses cultural expressions that envision autonomy and self-determination.

  • Historical Context of Flight:

    • Black resistance to oppression has included literal and metaphorical flights, seeking freedom from violence and dispossession throughout history.

Afro-Speculation: Conceptual Framework

  • Afro-speculation refers to the imaginative engagement with possibilities of Black futures and liberation through artistic expressions.

  • Post-1965 works accelerated this pursuit through inventive mediums crossing into science fiction and Afrofuturism.

Reimagined Space Flight

  • NASA and the space race symbolize a juxtaposition against the backdrop of civil rights, illustrating the disparities in economic investment.

  • Example:

    • President Kennedy's aim for the U.S. to land on the moon contrasted the persisting poverty in certain Black communities.

Literature and Narratives

  • Martin Delany’s work envisioning liberation through collective flight.

  • Edward A. Johnson’s time travel narratives that depict a future free of racism.

  • W. E. B. Du Bois’ “The Comet,” exploring racial dynamics post-apocalyptic event.

  • Themes of hope and liberation rooted in literary works reflect a Black cultural predisposition towards imagination as a tool for empowerment.

Bradbury's Critique:

  • Ray Bradbury’s stories such as “Way in the Middle of the Air” and “The Other Foot” tackle racial dynamics and expected social changes in space settings.

  • “Way in the Middle of the Air”:

    • Satirical representation of a white community confronting Black mass flight to Mars.

    • Reflects historical resistance and power dynamics amidst impending social change.

  • “The Other Foot”:

    • Set two decades later on Mars, depicting a Black community grappling with the arrival of white people and reflecting on their past traumas.

    • Examines the complexities of forgiveness versus resentment in racial interactions.

Political Stakes in the Space Race

  • U.S. federal investment in NASA contrasts sharply with social struggles faced by Black communities.

  • Activist responses to space program expenditures highlighted issues of racial inequality, e.g., Ralph Abernathy’s protests at NASA launches.

  • Key grievances focused on governmental priorities, suggesting a moral vacuum in space exploration efforts.

Speculative Arts Engagement

  • Black artists like Gil Scott-Heron critiqued the space program’s focus through poignant artistic expressions.

  • Gil Scott-Heron’s “Whitey on the Moon” encapsulates economic frustration and racial disparity amidst national pride in technological advancement.

Faith Ringgold's Commentary

  • Created “Flag for the Moon: Die Nigger” to challenge the narrative surrounding the Moon landing and to starkly highlight ongoing racial oppression.

  • The artwork critiques U.S. values, suggesting that while pride was taken in space successes, systemic racism persisted.

Amiri Baraka's Vision

  • Baraka emphasized the need for a new understanding of technology among Black Americans, stressing the importance of culturally grounded technological practices.

Derrick Bell’s Speculative Writings

  • Derrick Bell's story “The Space Traders” presents a satirical critique of racial dynamics and the expendability of Black lives within speculative narratives of exchange and power.

  • “The Afrolantica Awakening” challenges narratives of race while proposing a land accessible only to Black Americans, emphasizing the conceptual power of hope and aspiration for liberation.

Conclusion

  • The analysis demonstrates how Afro-speculation serves as a tool for resisting systemic oppression.

  • It transforms the concept of flight and exile from both a narrative device and a revolutionary philosophy against pervasive disenfranchisement.