The Obsidian Archives include blog posts, critical essays, and fan fiction written by BGC members, contributors, and community. Take a trip through time and peruse through the blog, Critical Companion series, and Hogwarts BSU project for inspiration, nuanced critiques, and wonderful stories written in the Wizarding World!
Featured Creators
Meet Black women who are creating space and art, learn about their process, and why they believe it is important for Black people to be creators. We feature a new Creator at the beginning of each month.
Jasmin Foster
Meet Jasmin Foster, the founder of Be Rooted.
Bezi Yohannes and Ravynn K. Stringfield
Meet our February Black Women Creators! Bezi Yohannes (@BeingABookwyrm) and Ravynn K. Stringfield (@RavynnKaMia) hosts of Dreaming in the Dark podcast
Brittany N. Williams
Meet our first Black Woman Creator of the new year! Brittany N. Williams (@BrittanyActs) is an actress, writer, and content creator.
Céli Godfried and Cel Cottrell
Meet Céli Godfried and Cel Cottrell, artists and creators of #Blacktober.
Josiane Faubert
Meet artist, photographer, and founder of PICHA Stock, Josiane Faubert.
Charlot Kristensen
Meet Charlot Kristensen, an illustrator, designer, and book author. Her first big graphic novel “What We Don’t Talk About” is out now!
Joi Childs
Meet Joi Childs. Marketer. Writer. Critic.
Tai Gooden
Meet writer, editor, podcaster, and candle maker Tai Gooden.
Author Spotlight
Author Spotlight: Roseanne A. Brown
Meet author Roseanne A. Brown, and check out her debut novel A Song of Wraiths and Ruin, with a special excerpt from the novel.
Author Spotlight: Bethany C. Morrow
Meet author Bethany C. Morrow, and check out her debut fantasy novel A Song Below Water.
Author Spotlight: Nandi Taylor
Meet author Nandi Taylor, and check out her debut novel Given.
Author Spotlight: Tracey Baptiste, “The Jumbie God’s Revenge”
Black Girls Create got to speak with author Tracey Baptiste, who wrote The Jumbie God’s Revenge, the last novel in the popular middle grade series beginning with The Jumbies and Rise of the Jumbies.
We Black & Nerds
Our blog was a space that worked to be representative of our realities and experiences as a way to counter the ones largely depicted in the mainstream. The blog hosted a variety of commentary on popular culture including book reviews, television and film recaps, personal essays, and our contributor-led series The Critical Companion, a bi-monthly themed project that delved into different aspects of critical fandom.
The Critical Companion
Nerd Love in the Time of Social Distancing
How can nerds date during a global pandemic? K. Alexandra offers some tips from her own experiences.
My Heaven is a Republic
Jessie Blount shares her two “spiritual texts” and how they’ve shaped her worldview.
The Importance of Creating Worlds for Young Black Readers
Abisola writes about Children of Blood and Bone and Daughters of Nri, and how they are important for young Black readers.
What ‘Harry Potter’ Doesn’t Teach Us About Allyship & Activism
How does Harry Potter’s Order of the Phoenix show the failures of the series to show a truly progressive and anti-supremacist narrative? What can we learn from these inadequacies of the story to be better allies in the real world?
Sineya, The First Slayer Reimagined — How ‘Buffy’ Failed Black Girl Magic
Crystal discusses Sineya in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and some of the issues with her storyline.
How do the Character Descriptions in ‘Harry Potter’ Hold Up 20 Years Later?
Talia discusses the Harry Potter series falls subject to body shaming.
Coping with the K-Pop Fandom as a Black Woman
Khadejah writes about how her love of K-Pop has been tested by its fandom.
Revisiting Harry Potter’s Final Battle: Where Did All the Kreatures Go?
Talia looks back at the final battle of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, and searches for the magical creatures and the important role they should have played.
A Seat on the TARBIS: In Defense of Danny Pink
Amani discusses Doctor Who’s Danny Pink, and why fans should give him a little more grace.
Hogwarts BSU
Hogwarts BSU was a fan fiction project that asked Black Potterheads to imagine what it would be like to be Black in the Wizarding World. Read stories of Black students at Hogwarts, Black businesses in the Potterverse, and Black Wizard History, and feel free to add your own stories to Archive of Our Own using the tag Hogwarts BSU!
Foreign Exchange Chapter 7
Henry attends his first class at Uagadou.
Foreign Exchange Chapter 6
Henry attends the Uagadou welcome ceremony.
Foreign Exchange Chapter 5
Henry Fogg explores the Uagadou castle and makes some friends along the way.
Foreign Exchange Chapter 4
Henry learns about the founding of Uagadou.
Bankole – Part 2
Francisca works to keep her and others’ emotions in check.
Foreign Exchange Chapter 3
Henry arrives at Uagadou and receives a shock.
Bankole – Part 1
Francisca tries to prepare for a new year at school.
Foreign Exchange Chapter 2
Henry Fogg embarks on his journey from Hogwarts to Uagadou.
