Black Speculative Fiction Month 2026 — Acknowledging The Architects - Milton Davis & Balogun Ojetade

Black Speculative Fiction Month 2026 — Acknowledging The Architects Milton J. Davis & Balogun Ojetade, in conversation with Dedren Snead | A SUBSUME Production Every October, creators, readers and institutions around the world celebrate Black Speculative Fiction Month. This conversation goes back to where it began, with the two architects who started it. Author and publisher Milton J. Davis (MVmedia) and author, filmmaker and martial arts master Balogun Ojetade tell the story of how Black Speculative Fiction Month began. It started with an event called "Alien Encounters" at Atlanta's Auburn Avenue Research Library and a simple decision not to wait for permission. "You're not limited by people's perceptions… If that was the case, there would be no Black Speculative Fiction." Hosted by Dedren Snead, founder of SUBSUME, the conversation traces the movement's lineage: the early Atlanta circle, the State of Black Science Fiction, the early works that led the way, and influential pioneers like Charles R. Saunders and Octavia E. Butler. Milton and Balogun then speak plainly about where Black Speculative Fiction stands today: what's better, what's still missing, why newer creators need to know their history, and how independent publishing, conventions and technology have broken down the gates. They close with what's next, from the world of Ki-Khanga to new films, books and anthologies. This is a foundational record of Black Speculative Fiction history, told by the people who built it. CHAPTERS 0:00 Cold Open: "There would be no Black Speculative Fiction" 0:17 Title 0:35 Welcome & Introductions 2:59 Origins: How the Month Began 7:45 The Circle: Luminaries of the Era 10:55 The Pioneers: Saunders, Butler & Dark Matter 16:16 Where We Are Now 24:45 Who's Doing the Work 32:18 The Future: Culture, Technology & AI 38:37 What's Next: New Works 43:36 Closing: Where to Find the Architects 49:43 End Card FIND THE ARCHITECTS Milton J. Davis | MVmedia: https://mvmediaatl.com · https://miltonjdavis.com Balogun Ojetade | Roaring Lions Productions: search "Balogun Ojetade" on Amazon for his books SUBSUME https://subsumestudios.com https://blackspeculativefictionmonth.org Stories That Build Futures. #STAYINCLUDED CREDITS Host: Dedren Snead Guests: Milton J. Davis, Balogun Ojetade Music: "Like Out There" by Otis Galloway Deep field image: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI © 2026 SUBSUME Media / Studios · Atlanta, Georgia See y'all in the future. #BlackSpeculativeFiction #BlackSpeculativeFictionMonth #BSFM2026 #Afrofuturism #SwordAndSoul #BlackSciFi #MiltonDavis #BalogunOjetade #SUBSUME