Octavia Butler paved the way for African-American science fiction authors. Her first novel, Patternmaster, was published in 1976, a story that eventually expanded into a larger series. By 1979 and the publication of Kindred, she was firmly established as an African American writer. Through Kindred, she brought together critiques of both past and present societal hierarchies, both blended together in the science fiction genre. Called the “grand dame of science fiction,” Butler fearlessly crossed many lines. She used her novels to challenge our way of thinking and show that humans, regardless of race, deal with the same problems across all history and time. In an interview with Charlie Rose, she said, “I write about people and the different ways of being human.” Her work has been categorized as Afrofuturism, which is oh so fresh. In 1984, Butler won both the Hugo Award for Best Short Story and the Nebula Award for Best Novelette. By 1995, she was the first science fiction writer to receive the MacArthur Fellowship “genius” grant. Born in 1947 in Pasadena, California she dealt with dyslexia but has been writing since 10 years old. Butler passed away February 24, 2006 at 58 years old in Lake Forest Park, Washington.
