“I was attracted to science fiction because it was so wide open. I was able to do anything and there were no walls to hem you in and there was no human condition that you were stopped from examining.”
Octavia Butler
Welcome to Reading Black Futures, an archived site dedicated to promoting science fiction, fantasy, and horror by Black authors via book lists, blog posts, and research articles.
Who Am I?
My name is Stephanie Renee Toliver, and I am an associate professor of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As a doctoral student, I was constantly asked whether Black people actually write science fiction, fantasy, and horror, so I built this site to answer the question. I stopped updating it in 2022, but I didn’t want to close it, because it still means a great deal to me and it has helped readers find the books they were looking for. For my current work, visit StephanieToliver.com.
Site Design Inspiration
You’ll notice an Afrofuturistic vibe to this site because Blackness and Black futures are at the center of the site design. The inspiration and visuals that foreground this site are from the work of Rufus Royster, an amazing Black artist whose work is so dope that I keep asking for more content (and paying for it, of course). Follow him on Instagram (@Artofrufus) and support more of his brilliant work by going to his website and buying all the things!
