Posted by John Robinson on May 02, 1999 at 20:42:42:
In Reply to: Re: Vance "PC" on Race posted by Bob von Tiehl on April 22, 1999 at 21:18:52:
:
: : am I being a white chauvinist when I point out that not very : many black authors get into SF, Sam Delaney being the only
: : great one I can think of.
: In my youth Frank Yerby was one of my favorite authors.
: Also, perhaps you know the name Alexandre Dumas?
I think these are not examples of black SF authors and even if you do consider them SF 3 in 200 years seems to back up the point Dom was making. Dumas was born in 1802. I would call his books like 3 Musketeers, Man In Iron Mask etc. historical novels, not SF. Although when he was writing them I guess they were more like current events than history :) Yerby was born in 1916 and is known for his "historical novels" on slavery, the Civil War (or as we good southerners call it - The War Between The States), reconstruction and race relations.
The only stretch imho to call these two SF writers is to say they wrote "alternative history" SF.