The future. Whether twenty years or two hundred years from now, the sci-fi genre is all about new possibilities and new ideas. Change. Often, sci-fi TV shows, movies, and books are the perfect opportunity to envision a time when skin color has stopped being a factor in human-to-human relationships. You know, the novel concept of “content of a person’s character.” I can imagine a date in the future, when we refer to each other as Terran (as opposed to Martian or Titanese) or even just human.

Over my lifetime, a few movies and TV shows have got it right by casting an African American in a particular role, not to get a Black stereotype on the screen, but because the actor or actress was the right fit for the part; they were the embodiment of the character.

The character was not a slang talking, hood background having, gangsta riding, joke telling, sex kitten, ultra-pro-black (or as David Alan Grier says, Mike Tyson Black), holding the gun sideways, drug dealing, pimping, dancing, and jiving stereotype. They  were just… another excellent player in said show or movie. They made us forget about race as a divisive issue.

So, in recognition of the first day of Black History Month, here is a list of my top 10 favorite African American sci-fi movie & TV characters of all time.

It  would  be  interesting  also  a  list  of  African/American  heroes  direct  from  comics, short- stories, books  and  so, not  only  from  movies/TV  series...eh,eh

Just  think  of  Storm, Imaro, Blade, etc, etc...

Although this doesn't quite apply to the written word because most writers don't specify race unless it is a needed part of the story here is an article from Wired.com in recognition of the first day of Black History Month.

Quote:


Yes, Grace (Nichelle) Nichols made the list but only at #8?

Read More http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2010/02/top-ten-african-american-characters-in-sci-...