Afrofuturism: The Origin Story

The term “Afrofuturism” was coined decades ago to describe an artistic and cultural tradition that pre-dates the transatlantic slave trade. From the poetry of Phillis Wheatley, to Martin R. Delany’s alt-history novel Blake, to Sun Ra’s avant-garde music to Marvel’s Black Panther (the special’s premiere coincides with the release of that blockbuster film’s sequel, Wakanda Forever), the African American experience has been explored and reimagined through a speculative, even cosmically scaled lens for centuries, in a variety of artistic mediums. The special seeks to explore the concept through conversation and performance, as some of today’s most influential Black musicians, writers, dancers and theorists come together to share their ideas and artistry as they celebrate the historical and cultural impact of Afrofuturism.

Production Companies

Smithsonian Channel