Crossing the color line

The two texts, "Deathlok" by McDuffie and "Conservation of Races" by W.E.B. Du Bois voice concerns of African Americans and their identities as an african and as an american. This common duality is seen often in entertainment - like the pervasive "Power Rangers." Power Rangers deal with the obligation to be a ranger of the world protecting people from puttymen and they have to cope with being a regular schmo in school without revealing their super identities. I just used Power Rangers as an example of a concept of duality that exists in almost all super hero genres - from Batman to Superman to Spiderman just to name three. Super heros have to learn to cope with their idenity as a super hero as well as their idenity as a regular guy. This is similar to the african american race predicament in which African Americans are disrespected because of their inability to place faith in their african heritage while living for the american dream. W.E.B. Du Bois and McDuffie both employ strategies to attact an academic audience and a young adult audience respectively. However both writers share messages that attempt to expose the prevality of the color line while questioning the Critical Race theory.

W.E.B. Du Bois, one of the leading writers in the Critical Race theory wrote "Conservation of Races" to delve into the meaning and purpose of race. Du Bois questions whether race exists, what race is, how many races are there and what characteristics define race. The definition Du Bois proposes is that race "is a vast family of human beings, generally of common blood and language, always of common history, tradition and impulses, who are both voluntarily and involuntarily striving together for the accomplishments of certain more or less vividly conceived ideals of life." (Du Bois 817) The definition is certaintly ambiguous - what is common blood? What is common impulse? What goals? Common history is the only constant race defining factor and my departure point for this essay. Common history itself is ambiguous. HIstory from 50 years ago? 100? 3000? The time line continues infinitely so history can't really define the entire span. This begins the predicament of the duality of African American. African American race is defined by the common history of Africans in tribes of Africa, with their own marriage customs, customary traditions, and religious beliefs. This is a unique history. But according to Du Bois their history is also defined by the Civil War in 1865 partly caused by the emancipation of black slaves in 1863. This history shares a very proud and defined culture of an oppresed society that broke through the chains of bondage and broke the slave block. This is a unique history. Then which is it? Does being black "place upon any more obligation to assert nationality than German, or Irish, or Italian blood would?" (Du Bois 810) Is an African American more African or more American? This is where we find out that this ambiguity is the "crossroads" in which African Americans must ask "am I an American or am I a Negro?" (Du Bois 810)

Though McDuffie's "Deathlok" does not offer a clear solution to this question he helps to expand its importance. Using a man/machine dualism, Deathlok begins to address the same African American duality. Michael Collins is betrayed by fellow worker Rykan and his brain is implanted into a cyborg. However his brain overrides the onboard computer and allows him to think in programming language - allowing him to be both cyborg and human. The fusing of Michael's neurons with the electrical circuits of the cyborg suit is a symbol of the inherent combination of the heritage and traditions of africanism with the responsibilities and privelages as an American. Michael Collins finds it hard to be accepted by his own family and society because he is neither man nor machine. His own wife calls him "some kind of monster" (McDuffie 39) which poses as a latent message of the alienation of african americans by Africans and Americans.

Whether it be because of individual pride or preservation of race tradition, the critical race theory needs acceptance. Possibly reinventing a new definition of color and race. By defining race, a color line is inherently drawn. The frusturation of people inbetween the lines are that they find themselves in the "none of the above" or "other" sections. McDuffie's "Deathlok" and W.E.B. Du Bois expose the consequences of the colorline and the definitions of race. McDuffie proposes a possible answer to the critical race theory, a way to cease alienation and live in unity with respect for other heritages. Instead of hiding different heritages and histories, they should be used to protect humanity itself.

W.E.B. Du Bois. "Conservation of Races."

McDuffie, Dwayne. "Deathlok."

Supergroovalisticprosifunkstastic Films, Music and LIterature

(props to George Clinton for the blog title)

The "Last Angel of History", a film by John Akomfrah, is an intriguing parallel between afrofuturist literature and sonic music that attempts to destroy the binaries that predetermine conceptions for people of different races, cultures, or traditions. The beginning starts off with the story of guitarist Robert Johnson who appropriated his soul to the devil in order to learn the secret black technology. This technology would inevitably guide black Americans to social revolution and help to preserve their heritage and their future. This technological breakthrough is blues. True blues. Blues brought out through depression, economic crisis and the segregation Americans. Akomfrah's movie helps to exemplify how the beginning of this black technology helped to construct a vehicle intended to preserve African American pride and culture.

Also set in the 1920's was a book called "The Comet" by W.E.B. Du Bois. This book shows the extremities of black segregation when a poisonous gas from a passing comet kills all the people of New York and devastates the only two people left - a rich white woman and a poor black man. It is easy to see that the poor black man represents the African American society and the rich white woman represents prejudice white society. When left to their individual differences white society says "How foolish our human distinctions seem now" (Du Bois 14). For the first time the black society feels appreciated as part of humanity because black humanity is accepted. For the first time white human society feels equality because of embracing difference. Though it does not last long in the book, Du Bois eliminates negative preconceptions by taking them to an extreme power and putting them in persepctive.

Du Bois also says in "The Comet" that black people are treated as "alien in blood and culture." (Du Bois 17) This extraterrestrial aspect of African Americanism is used a positive contraption to secure African American heritage. One of the many astronomical extraterrestrial promoters was the funkadelic musician, George Clinton. George Clinton was the musician behind the popular "Mothership Connection" record. When asked about the record he responded saying that he feels that "space to black people is...like we've been there...[like] descendents from teh stars." [Akomfrah] George Clinton is able to promote the individuality of African Americans through their literal alienation. At the same time the element of galacticism helps to destruct the divisions between normal binaries. The divisions of black and white, man and machine, same and difference, outside and inside are all permeable entities when compared to alien elements. All humanity unites in the presence of an alien, and when African Americans are not the alien they become united as well. Much of the afrotfuturist writing and music plays to this element and is a positive influence on the future of African American culture. What do music, literature, and film have in common? They are all vehicles that convey a message. For afrofuturists this message is directed to humanity to eliminate racism and promote individuality.


The main character of Akomfrah's film, "The Last Angel of History" was the last angel, the data thief. The data thief searches for clues to help to reclaim African American past for the future. One of the clues he found was a stone that read "The line between social reality and science fiction is an optical illusion." Isolation in post-apocalyptic novels, and alienation in first contact narratives are all allegories of the present miscegenation and racial discrimination. Of course when put into perspective through extraterrestrial metaphors or when left to individualistic expression, it is easier to see what was white and what was black is actually in between. It’s not quite grey, its more beautiful than that. It’s more of a tie dye.

Works Cited

Du Bois, W.E.B. "The Comet." 1920

Akomfrah, John. "Last Angel of History." 1996

That is one attractive DNA sequence!

Throughout the history of science fiction everyone seems to be absolutely certain what an alien looks like. This book, Lilith's Brood takes the alien appearance to the next level by fusing an alien with a human. In fact, much of "Adulthood Rites" is based on a male Human-Oankali construct (an alien human child) and his journey to discover what and who he is, and most importantly why he is. This male Human-Oankali construct, Akin, "did not have [the human] flaw. He had been assembled within the body of an ooloi. He was Oankali enough to be listened to by other Oankali and Human enough to know that resister Humans were being treated with cruelty and condescension." (404) Akin has the important role as the intermediary between Humans and Oankali because of his appearance, and the role of becoming the future generation because of what resides in his DNA.

The Oankali, the Human-Oankali Constructs and the Humans are different in many ways. Much of their anatomy is shared but their appearance is distinguished between each race. I made a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the similarities between the "species".



The Human-Oankali constructs are more repulsive to the humans than the Oankali. From the Human perspective, the Oankali are simply aliens. A Human commented on two girl Human-Oankali constructs saying that their tentacles "looked more like slugs than worms most of the time" which seemed to not alien, but inhumane and "criminal to allow little girls to be afflicted with such things." (391) Such strong words describe the repulsiveness of the Human-Oankali constructs to Humans, whereas the Oankali were tolerable. I think it is interesting that the Oankali do not find the Humans repulsive. The Oankali do not fear the Humans from a physical standpoint, because they strive to eliminate difference within their society in order to ensure peace.

More importantly, the personality traits and values differ between each species. Humans are loyal to humans, however they seek heirarchial status and power, and will kill one another to recieve it. Oankali see this as a fatal flaw of humans and thus their species thrives on conformity and division of power between their three different sexes- Ooloi, Male, and Female - though the Ooloi are constantly conceived of being the most powerful. The Human-Oankali constructs are more or less children, pure and naive and can be easily swayed between the Humans and the Oankali. However the Human-Oankali constructs resemble more than just a offspring of the two alien species, they are the Oankali upgrade in many ways. The constructs are the Oankali version two, and the future of Humans and Oankalis.

The human revolt is constantly perpetuated by the hatred of the differences of the Oankali. Humans have a suspicion that they are being assimilated by the Oankali who seek to trade genes with the Humans to further empower themselves. This is not fully realized until Akin gives it away. The Oankali are a race that needs to constantly self improve and "someday the people of Lo-or their descendents-will be in space again, looking for some other people to infect or afflict or whatever you call it." (364) This uncovers the agenda behind the Oankali, the saving of the Humans was just a "trade" to find genes that would suit the Oankali and make them more efficient. The main difference between Humans and Oankalis is simple. Humans find other attractiveness through intelligence and physical beauty. Oankali find attractiveness through the sequence of DNA. Personally I find eyebrows to be really attractive.

Works Cited

Butler, Octavia E. Lilith's Brood. New York: Warner Books, 1989.