Carl Brandon Society
Encyclopedia
The Carl Brandon Society is a group originating within the science fiction community
"dedicated to addressing the representation of people of color in the fantastical genres such as science fiction
, fantasy
and horror
... to foster dialogue about issues of race, ethnicity and culture, raise awareness both inside and outside the fantastical fiction communities, promote inclusivity in publication/production, and celebrate the accomplishments of people of color in science fiction, fantasy and horror."
The Society was founded in 1997 following discussions at the feminist science fiction convention
WisCon
23 in Madison
, Wisconsin
. It was named after the fictional black fan writer "Carl Brandon", created in the mid-1950s by Terry Carr
and Pete Graham. This was also an allusion to the way the James Tiptree, Jr. Award
group (also founded after a discussion at a WisCon) named itself after the fictitious male persona
used by the writer long known as "James Tiptree, Jr.".
The Society maintains lists of fantastical works published by writers of color each year.
award given annually to a work of speculative fiction in English written by a person of color and published in the year of the award. The 2006 Parallax, the first to be awarded, went to Walter Mosley
for his young adult
novel 47.
Inaugurated in 2005, the [Carl Brandon Kindred Award is a juried award given annually to a work of speculative fiction in English which deals with issues of race and ethnicity; nominees may be of any racial or ethnic group. Relevant works published in the year of the award are eligible. The 2006 Kindred Award went to Susan Vaught for her young adult novel, Stormwitch
.
Carl Brandon Parallax Award Shortlist for 2006
Carl Brandon Kindred Award Shortlist for 2006
The 2006 Carl Brandon Society Awards were presented during a ceremony at WisCon
30.
Memorial Scholarship was established in Butler's memory in 2006 by the Society. Its goal is to provide an annual scholarship to enable writers of color to attend one of the Clarion
writing workshops where Butler got her start. The first scholarship was awarded in 2007.
Science fiction fandom
Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or "fandom" of people actively interested in science fiction and fantasy and in contact with one another based upon that interest...
"dedicated to addressing the representation of people of color in the fantastical genres such as science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
and horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
... to foster dialogue about issues of race, ethnicity and culture, raise awareness both inside and outside the fantastical fiction communities, promote inclusivity in publication/production, and celebrate the accomplishments of people of color in science fiction, fantasy and horror."
The Society was founded in 1997 following discussions at the feminist science fiction convention
Science fiction convention
Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of various forms of speculative fiction including science fiction and fantasy. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expression as movies and...
WisCon
WisCon
Wiscon or WisCon, the Wisconsin Science Fiction Convention, is often called the world's leading feminist-oriented science fiction convention and conference. It was first held in Madison, Wisconsin in February 1977, and is held annually throughout the four day weekend of Memorial Day...
23 in Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. It was named after the fictional black fan writer "Carl Brandon", created in the mid-1950s by Terry Carr
Terry Carr
Terry Gene Carr was a U.S. science fiction author, editor, and teacher.Terry Carr was born in Grants Pass, Oregon...
and Pete Graham. This was also an allusion to the way the James Tiptree, Jr. Award
James Tiptree, Jr. Award
The James Tiptree, Jr. Award is an annual literary prize for works of science fiction or fantasy that expand or explore one's understanding of gender. It was initiated in February of 1991 by science fiction authors Pat Murphy and Karen Joy Fowler, subsequent to a discussion at WisCon.- Background...
group (also founded after a discussion at a WisCon) named itself after the fictitious male persona
Persona
A persona, in the word's everyday usage, is a social role or a character played by an actor. The word is derived from Latin, where it originally referred to a theatrical mask. The Latin word probably derived from the Etruscan word "phersu", with the same meaning, and that from the Greek πρόσωπον...
used by the writer long known as "James Tiptree, Jr.".
The Society maintains lists of fantastical works published by writers of color each year.
The CBS Parallax and Kindred Awards
Inaugurated in 2005, the Carl Brandon Parallax Award is a juriedJuried (competition)
A juried competition is a competition in which participants' work is judged by a person or panel of persons convened specifically to judge the participants' efforts, either by the competition's stated rubric or by a subjective set of criteria dependent upon the nature of the competition or the...
award given annually to a work of speculative fiction in English written by a person of color and published in the year of the award. The 2006 Parallax, the first to be awarded, went to Walter Mosley
Walter Mosley
Walter Ellis Mosley is an American novelist, most widely recognized for his crime fiction. He has written a series of best-selling historical mysteries featuring the hard-boiled detective Easy Rawlins, a black private investigator and World War II veteran living in the Watts neighborhood of Los...
for his young adult
Young adult literature
Young-adult fiction or young adult literature , also juvenile fiction, is fiction written for, published for, or marketed to adolescents and young adults, roughly ages 14 to 21. The Young Adult Library Services of the American Library Association defines a young adult as "someone between the...
novel 47.
Inaugurated in 2005, the [Carl Brandon Kindred Award is a juried award given annually to a work of speculative fiction in English which deals with issues of race and ethnicity; nominees may be of any racial or ethnic group. Relevant works published in the year of the award are eligible. The 2006 Kindred Award went to Susan Vaught for her young adult novel, Stormwitch
Stormwitch
Stormwitch is a heavy metal band from Heidenheim, Baden Württemberg, Germany, formed in 1979 under the name Lemon Sylvan. The name was changed into Stormwitch in 1981. They have been called "The...
.
Carl Brandon Parallax Award Shortlist for 2006
- Ashok BankerAshok BankerAshok Kumar Banker is a novelist and short story writer living in Mumbai, India. He has written professionally since his early teens, and has worked as a door-to-door surveyor for market research firms, a print journalist, columnist, scriptwriter for television series and documentaries, and in...
: Prince of Ayodhya (Penguin India) - Tobias Buckell: "Toy Planes" (Nature, Oct. 13, 2005)
- Octavia Butler: Fledgling (Seven Stories Press)
- Daliso Chaponda: "Trees of Bone" (Apex Science Fiction and Horror Digest, #3)
- Marcia Douglas: "Marie-Ma" (Femspec, Vol. 6, #1)
- Hiromi GotoHiromi GotoHiromi Goto is a Japanese-Canadian editor, fiction writer, cultural critic, arts advocate, youth organizer, teacher of creative writing and a mother of two children.-Life:...
: "Nostalgia" (Nature, Sept. 1, 2005) - N.K. Jemisin: "Cloud Dragon Skies" (Strange Horizons, Aug. 1, 2005)
- A.H. Jennings: "Owasa" (Farthing, July, 2005)
- Alaya Dawn Johnson: "Shard of Glass" (Strange Horizons, Feb. 14, 2005)
- Ahmed Khan: "The Meaning of Life and Other Clichés" (Another Realm, March, 2005)
- Gail Nyoka: Mella and the N'anga: An African Tale (Sumach Press)
- Nnedi Okorafor: Zahrah the Windseeker (Houghton Mifflin)
- Nisi ShawlNisi ShawlNisi Shawl is an African-American writer and journalist. She is best known as a writer of science fiction and fantasy short stories.-Work:Shawl is the co-author of Writing the Other: Bridging Cultural Differences for Successful Fiction, a book derived from the authors' workshop of the same name,...
: "Wallamelon" (Aeon Magazine, #3) - Vandana SinghVandana SinghVandana Singh is an Indian science fiction writer. She currently works at Framingham State College in Massachusetts.-Short Fiction:* The Woman Who Thought She Was A Planet and other stories includes two previously unpublished stories: "Conservation Laws" and "Infinities" * "The Room on the Roof"...
: "The Tetrahedron" (Intranova, March 15, 2005)
Carl Brandon Kindred Award Shortlist for 2006
- Tobias Buckell: "Toy Planes" (Nature, Oct. 13, 2005)
- Octavia E. Butler: Fledgling (Seven Stories Press)
- Daliso Chaponda: "Trees of Bone" (Apex Science Fiction and Horror Digest, #3)
- Marg Gilks: "Before the Altar on The Feast of All Souls" (Tesseracts 9)
- Walter MosleyWalter MosleyWalter Ellis Mosley is an American novelist, most widely recognized for his crime fiction. He has written a series of best-selling historical mysteries featuring the hard-boiled detective Easy Rawlins, a black private investigator and World War II veteran living in the Watts neighborhood of Los...
: 47 (Little, Brown) - Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu: Zahrah the Windseeker (Houghton Mifflin)
- Liz WilliamsLiz WilliamsDr Liz Williams is a British science fiction writer. The Ghost Sister, her first novel, was published in 2001. Both this novel and her next, Empire of Bones were nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award. She is also the author of the Inspector Chen series.Williams is the daughter of a stage...
: "La Gran Muerte" (Asimov's Science Fiction, April 2005)
The 2006 Carl Brandon Society Awards were presented during a ceremony at WisCon
WisCon
Wiscon or WisCon, the Wisconsin Science Fiction Convention, is often called the world's leading feminist-oriented science fiction convention and conference. It was first held in Madison, Wisconsin in February 1977, and is held annually throughout the four day weekend of Memorial Day...
30.
Octavia E. Butler Memorial Scholarship
The Octavia E. ButlerOctavia E. Butler
Octavia Estelle Butler was an American science fiction writer, one of the best-known among the few African-American women in the field. She won both Hugo and Nebula awards. In 1995, she became the first science fiction writer to receive the MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant.- Background :Butler...
Memorial Scholarship was established in Butler's memory in 2006 by the Society. Its goal is to provide an annual scholarship to enable writers of color to attend one of the Clarion
Clarion Workshop
Clarion is a six-week workshop for new and aspiring science fiction and fantasy writers. Originally an outgrowth of Knight and Wilhelm's Milford Writers' Conference, held at their home in Milford, Pennsylvania, USA, it was founded in 1968 by Robin Scott Wilson at Clarion State College in...
writing workshops where Butler got her start. The first scholarship was awarded in 2007.