Kemet and the Philosophy of Afrofuturism

Abstract

The term Afrofuturism was first used by Mark Dery in 1994 to refer to an unfolding phenomenon among Afrikan people across the world, but especially in Afrikan American society where it was centered. The concept existed before it was named, for a tradition of Afrikan speculative writing, a significant part of Afrofuturism, had been extant for at least a century-and-a-half in both the continent and its Diaspora. Further, as is mentioned below in the example of Sun Ra, other aspects of the movement were vigorously alive long before 1994. Dery was part of a conversation among creators and critics of an emerging phenomenon which, among other developments, uncovered and (re)incorporated this tradition into a movement that did not possess a name until then. Speaking its name was an important step in calling Afrofuturism into full existence. The next significant step in its development was the founding of the listserv Afrofuturism.net, Figure 1: MAat, Ma’at. Female. Divinity of Universal Truth, Order, Justice, Righteousness, Reciprocity, Balance and Harmony.