Those are Tananarive Due’s words from the Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror documentary on Shudder. In my second ever Ghoul Gal newsletter, I mentioned the Horror Noire documentary. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, but the documentary is truly a must-see for any fan of the genre thanks to it tracing history of the genre and its inclusion (for better or worse) and exclusion of Black characters, creators, and storytellers.
I am absolutely not an expert in Black horror. So if you’re looking for a fantastic movie reviewing blog, check out Black Horror Movies. If you’re looking for Black horror books from children’s lit to adult, Diversity in Horror is the site for you!
BHM also coincides with the “official” Women in Horror Month. Though WiHM did announce that as of March 1st, 2021, “there will no longer be an official WiHM organization” and that they “would like to encourage the community to choose their own month to celebrate.”
With this in mind, Sydney Tillman (one of my best friends) and I will be going live on Clubhouse on February 24th at 7pm ET to discuss Black horror movies with a specific focus on Black leading ladies in horror. Quarantined due to the pandemic and not able to go out on movie dates, Sydney and I have watched several movies “together” during quarantine that were old favorites and have discovered some new favorites. And in keeping in theme with the newsletter, we’re calling it the Ghoul Gals’ Horror Hour. We’ll be starting off the discussion between the two of us before “opening up the stage” to listeners who want to participate. So if you’re free and on Clubhouse, we’ll be discussing:
Eve’s Bayou
Queen of the Damned
Blade
The Craft
and more!
And since I work in publishing, I would be remiss to not recommend a few books:
Hide and Seeker by Daka Hermon — full disclosure: I am incredibly biased since I got to work on this book, but I really love it.
Horror Noire by Dr. Robin R. Means Coleman — while the documentary is phenomenal, it obviously doesn’t encapsulate everything that Dr. Coleman’s book contains.
And from my TBR:
Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Octavia Butler
While I’m highlighting these books and films in this mini-February installment before my usual monthly one, this is a reminder for white and non-Black people of color to support Black creators not just during BHM, but every month of the year.
In lieu of posting my usual “tip jar,” if you are financially able to, seek out Black folks’ Venmos, Cashapps, KoFis, or PayPals online.