Larry King & Hank Aaron recently passed away. Two icons who’s endeavors helped transform, American society. Who’s paths inspired & enlightened America. Figures who before their demise were already infused into the fabric of the nation’s identity. They will be remembered & mourned by many, deservedly eulogized repeatedly.
On the other end of the spectrum, there’s Charles R. Saunders. An unfamiliar name to many (including me until recently) who’s story was recently told in the New York Times. Like many of us, Mr. Saunders was many things in his life. A graduate, a draft dodger, a university and college teacher, a husband a newspaper writer & an editor. He even scripted a couple of film screenplays. However, Mr. Saunders’ most enduring legacy wasn’t any of these accomplishments, but instead the wealth of fantasy stories and re-imagings he brought forth to those fortunate enough to have discovered his work. Stories that brought forth something never seen in mainstream distribution before: Black heroes on a thriving African continent.
The Imaro Book series is widely-regarded as the pinnacle of his work, but many other notable tales were crafted along the way as well including Ghor, Kin-Slayer & Nyumbani Tales. While Mr. Saunders made his living as an educator & information facilitator helping others learn, grown & understand the world we live in, he quietly crafted an alternate life –& world –as the first notable writer of Black science fiction.
“Charles gave us that fictional hero that looked like us and existed in a world based on our origins. He did it without using the ‘struggle’ narrative that traditional publishers seem to require from Black authors. Imaro’s struggles and triumphs were personal, not ‘racial,’ which for me was a breath of fresh air.”
Milton J. Davis, writer
Sword & Soul, as it would become known, were engaging, exciting fantasy stories. What set his creations apart was that they followed the journyes of heroes of Conan or Tarzan with a notable difference: Black protagonists. Before the 1990s, such a thing was just not seen. His reinterpretation of such larger-than-life & mythic figures engaging in sprawling adventures was something reserved for the white-savior complex even as rationale & sensibility insisted against it (Tarzan, a white child raised in the wild, growing up in the “dark heart of Africa” to become the King of the jungle? No sign of colonial myopia there). His work inspired a slew of Black youth not only to find lost identity & become curious about their own history, but also to recognize the potential for greatness within themselves. His work was a precursor for virtually every Black hero archetype to come thereafter in comics, novels & films (Black Panther being the notable exception).
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Mr. Saunders work was & still is impactful on the minds of Bipoc youth everywhere. Allowing a chance for them to see people who resemble themselves doing things they have only recently witnessed happen in a mainstream. Now that those opportunities are opening up, it’s incumbent on us all to show support by making every possible avenue available for it. That must include Charles R. Saunders’ books.
Charles R. Saunders died on an unconfirmed date in May 2020. He lived alone, in questionable accommodations & in relative seclusion which was amplified when the world went into isolation due to the rampant Covid-19 virus. With no relatives or next of kin to claim him, his body was buried by the Public Trustee for the province of his residence. It would be weeks before a group of friends were able to hold a memorial for him to celebrate an influential creator, a quiet, giant man & his influence on them.
“What Charles did was, he gave me back my Blackness.”
Dale Armelin
Like his recently departed contemporaries, Mr. Saunders is too an national icon & a leader of humanity who should have received recognition as such during his lifetime.
Sadly that never happened. However, celebrating his legacy now & going forward is still a significant achievement.
A GoFundMe campaign was established late last year to collect funds to provide a headstone & a monument of –who else — Imaro himself to the grave site of Mr. Saunders. If you can help out, please do. If not, sharing his work with those you know is an even better contribution. You can find Mr. Saunder’s books on Amazon & Barnes & Noble, but better still if you can find them in a black-owned bookstore near you.
We thank you for the gift of your mind. Rest in glory, Mr. Saunders.