During the month of February, BRTW ensemble members are selecting personal Black heroes to highlight everyday. These heroes may have spoken the magic words that first made them see their Black beauty, the people who inspired them to become artists, or even the person who taught them how to make proper mixed greens.
Samuel R. Delany was born on April 1, 1942 in New York City. Delany is a gay activist and accomplished author, literary critic, and professor. He’s written essays on sexuality and science fiction, novels, and two issues of wonder woman in 1972.

In 2010, Delany won the third J. Lloyd Eaton Lifetime Achievement Award in Science Fiction from the emic Eaton Science Fiction Conference at UCR Libraries. The Science Fiction Writers of America named him its 30th SFWA Grand Master in 2013.  Delany stills lives in Harlem, New York to this day. Today, Mr. Delany, BRTW spotlights you and all you’ve accomplished! Delany’s work include:  The Star Pit, Dog in a Fisherman’s Net, Aye And Gomorrah, and The Nevèrÿon series.

Seriously though, this man has even been the subject of a documentary: The Polymath, or, The Life and Opinions of Samuel R. Delany, Gentleman, directed by Fred Barney Taylor.

– Kevin Green,
Co-founder & Ensemble