Oxford College Library honors Black History Month by uplifting and celebrating the rich culture and history of Black people in the United States. The contributions Black people have made to culture, literature, art, and other disciplines continues to inspire and delight all who experience the products of Black excellence. In honor of Black History Month, we would like to showcase the thought-provoking works of Science-Fiction by Black authors. Every book listed here is available for check out either physically or digitally on our Overdrive collection available on the Libby app.
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler tells a speculative story set in 2024. As the world falls into anarchy, chronic water shortages, and war, Lauren Olamina lives with her family in a relatively safe compound in Los Angeles. Her father preaches to lead people on a path to salvation. When a fire destroys her home, Lauren’s family is killed, and she is forced out into the world. As she adjusts to her new life in this world, the seed of a revolutionary idea is planted in her brain and grows into something that can provide salvation.
Legendborn is an award-winning novel by Tracy Deonn about 16-year-old Bree Matthews. It is the first in the Legendborn Cycle series. After witnessing a magical attack, she meets a mysterious teenager who calls himself a “Merlin”. Once the teen fails to wipe Bree’s memory of what she saw, he instead unlocks her dormant magical powers along with a buried memory about what happened the night her mother died. Dying to know the truth, she recruits a self-exiled Legendborn named Nick to learn more of the society’s secrets. Bree must decide just how far she will need to go to find out the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down or join their cause.
Nnedi Okorafor writes Binti about a character of the same name. Binti is the first of the Himba people to ever be offered a place at Oomza University – the most prestigious place of higher learning in the galaxy. Accepting the offer means giving up her place in her family to travel with her new classmates and teachers who know nothing of her culture and customs. She finds that the world she is now a part of involves a long war with a race of aliens called the Meduse. Oozma University has wronged the Meduse and Binti is thrown into the middle of the conflict. She hopes to survive the legacy of this war and will need her own gifts as well as gifts she will discover in university. But first, she must survive the journey there.
Children of Blood and Bone by Toni Adeyemi begins the Legacy of Orïsha series with a compelling story and thoughtful world-building. Zélie Adebola remembers the night the magic disappeared, when the orders of a cruel king saw the maji in her village killed. Leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie has a chance to bring magic back to her village and fight against the monarchy who seek to eradicate magic for good. Snow leopanaires and vengeful spirits may prove to be the least of Zélie’s worries as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for one of the enemy’s people.
Written by three-time Hugo Award winner N.K. Jemisin, How Long ‘Til Black Future Month is a collection of short stories that cast a critical lens on modern society. In one story, spirits haunt the streets of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In a parallel universe, a utopian society watches our world and seeks to learn from our mistakes. In another story, a Black mother in the Jim Crow South must save her daughter from a fae who promises impossible things. The stories shared in this collection are wide-ranging and thought-provoking and excellent for those who want to get a glimpse into the world of science fiction through short stories.
Science Fiction by Black authors has brought a much-needed perspective and representation to the genre. We hope that browsing the books in our collections enables you to discover more stories by more diverse authors from a variety of backgrounds.