The Gilded Ones

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

What are the predominant elements of the subgenre “Afrofuturism”? What examples can be identified in media? What characteristics might readers expect to see? How does it both borrow from and transform the genres of fantasy and science fiction?

Teaching Suggestion: If students have little familiarity with Afrofuturism as a subgenre, they might speculate on its characteristics based on images or summaries associated with a few popular titles such as Octavia E. Butler’s Kindred, Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone, or Black Panther in the Marvel Universe. This prompt can be used to generate discussion and activate or build knowledge before reading the article that follows.

• This Smithsonian article provides a definition, brief history, and visual examination of the Afrofuturism movement and its dialogue with and impact on popular culture.
• The National Museum of African American History & Culture offers information regarding this subgenre and their exhibit “Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures.”

Short Activity

Work with a partner or small group to answer the following questions.