Alfred Martin
@alfredmartin.bsky.social
Detroit native. Associate Professor and Chair of Cinematic Arts at U of Miami. Author of The Generic Closet, Fandom for Us, by Us, and editor of Rolling.
Hot take: the opposition to drag has nothing to do w/drag. It has EVERYTHING to do w/the queers having seized the means of drag production. So, rather than heterosexual men getting rich playing dress up, (mostly) gay men and trans folks are getting rich doing it. THAT is why they’re mad.
November 3, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Hot take: the opposition to drag has nothing to do w/drag. It has EVERYTHING to do w/the queers having seized the means of drag production. So, rather than heterosexual men getting rich playing dress up, (mostly) gay men and trans folks are getting rich doing it. THAT is why they’re mad.
Things I miss: Black celebrities (like Ali, Baldwin, Angelou, Morrison, Kitt, etc.) used their enormous platforms to really demonstrate that they were both not necessarily “the people” because they were celebrities in some way, but also with “the people.”
November 2, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Things I miss: Black celebrities (like Ali, Baldwin, Angelou, Morrison, Kitt, etc.) used their enormous platforms to really demonstrate that they were both not necessarily “the people” because they were celebrities in some way, but also with “the people.”
Words cannot describe celebrating the release of my @nyupress.bsky.social book FANDOM FOR US, BY US in my hometown. Looking out on a room full of people that included people I’ve know for most of my life was a particular kind of treat. Two days later, I’m still high from all the love & energy!
May 2, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Words cannot describe celebrating the release of my @nyupress.bsky.social book FANDOM FOR US, BY US in my hometown. Looking out on a room full of people that included people I’ve know for most of my life was a particular kind of treat. Two days later, I’m still high from all the love & energy!
Last night, I celebrated my new @nyupress.bsky.social book @ Books & Books. Thanks to Craig Seymour for being my conversation partner & all the folks who came out, but especially my Renaissance High homies Rita & Julian. I’m really grateful to have colleagues who show up to support my work.
April 29, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Last night, I celebrated my new @nyupress.bsky.social book @ Books & Books. Thanks to Craig Seymour for being my conversation partner & all the folks who came out, but especially my Renaissance High homies Rita & Julian. I’m really grateful to have colleagues who show up to support my work.
Happy birthday to my new @nyupress.bsky.social book FANDOM FOR US, BY US: THE PLEASURES AND PRACTICES OF BLACK AUDIENCES (out officially today). The book details Black fan practices around the ballerina #MistyCopeland, the films BLACK PANTHER & THE WIZ, and THE GOLDEN GIRLS.
April 22, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Happy birthday to my new @nyupress.bsky.social book FANDOM FOR US, BY US: THE PLEASURES AND PRACTICES OF BLACK AUDIENCES (out officially today). The book details Black fan practices around the ballerina #MistyCopeland, the films BLACK PANTHER & THE WIZ, and THE GOLDEN GIRLS.
In March 2010, I met Taylor Cole Miller & we bonded over our love for @thegoldengirls.bsky.social. We flippantly said we should write a book about it. Now, as the show nears its 40th anniversary, the book is coming from @rutgersupress.bsky.social!
www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/the-golden-g...
www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/the-golden-g...
March 22, 2025 at 6:57 PM
In March 2010, I met Taylor Cole Miller & we bonded over our love for @thegoldengirls.bsky.social. We flippantly said we should write a book about it. Now, as the show nears its 40th anniversary, the book is coming from @rutgersupress.bsky.social!
www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/the-golden-g...
www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/the-golden-g...
This was the second best thing to come home and find after a work/research trip! My @nyupress.bsky.social book FANDOM FOR US, BY US: THE PLEASURES AND PRACTICES OF BLACK AUDIENCES is here! Thanks to @rawreader.bsky.social and @kristenwarner.bsky.social for the endorsements.
March 15, 2025 at 5:52 PM
This was the second best thing to come home and find after a work/research trip! My @nyupress.bsky.social book FANDOM FOR US, BY US: THE PLEASURES AND PRACTICES OF BLACK AUDIENCES is here! Thanks to @rawreader.bsky.social and @kristenwarner.bsky.social for the endorsements.
Tales of a troll… this is why I ALWAYS come at folks 1st as if they’re engaging in good faith bc trolls ALWAYS want anger. I have almost no emotional attachment to my scholarship so I’m always happy to be criticized AND invite folks to fight with me because to do so, they have to cite me.
March 15, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Tales of a troll… this is why I ALWAYS come at folks 1st as if they’re engaging in good faith bc trolls ALWAYS want anger. I have almost no emotional attachment to my scholarship so I’m always happy to be criticized AND invite folks to fight with me because to do so, they have to cite me.
Thanks for reading the essay. I thought this was a clear definition but happy to hear your issues with it and what might be more useful (and if you’re a scholar, feel free to pick it apart in your own work). I thought I was using two real world examples of how it works in action?
March 15, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Thanks for reading the essay. I thought this was a clear definition but happy to hear your issues with it and what might be more useful (and if you’re a scholar, feel free to pick it apart in your own work). I thought I was using two real world examples of how it works in action?
Just finished editing the last proof of this baby. This is an idea that has been cooking for several years (since my Fandom While Black essay?) & is informed by my interest in the relationship between media industries & audience reception. (Coming soon in International Journal of Communication).
March 5, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Just finished editing the last proof of this baby. This is an idea that has been cooking for several years (since my Fandom While Black essay?) & is informed by my interest in the relationship between media industries & audience reception. (Coming soon in International Journal of Communication).
If you're so inclined, you can pre-order FANDOM FOR US, BY US from NYU Press for 30% off. Of course, you can also purchase it wherever you buy books.
nyupress.org/978147982492...
nyupress.org/978147982492...
January 28, 2025 at 5:35 PM
If you're so inclined, you can pre-order FANDOM FOR US, BY US from NYU Press for 30% off. Of course, you can also purchase it wherever you buy books.
nyupress.org/978147982492...
nyupress.org/978147982492...
Course evaluations are so odd. The first thing is that anyone who knows me knows I hate all politicians and knows that I have a particular amount of ire for Clinton (although I guess we could call him a republican so.. point taken?).
December 20, 2024 at 1:47 PM
Course evaluations are so odd. The first thing is that anyone who knows me knows I hate all politicians and knows that I have a particular amount of ire for Clinton (although I guess we could call him a republican so.. point taken?).
It is never not thrilling to see one’s book “out in the wild.”
December 14, 2024 at 3:46 PM
It is never not thrilling to see one’s book “out in the wild.”
There are times when you come across something that makes you grateful to be alive in this very moment. This is one such thing. The acting! The cinematography! The script! The stunts! All A++++++! What a time to be alive!
December 6, 2024 at 5:01 PM
There are times when you come across something that makes you grateful to be alive in this very moment. This is one such thing. The acting! The cinematography! The script! The stunts! All A++++++! What a time to be alive!
For National AIDS Awareness Day I salute actress and activist Sheryl Lee Ralph and the host of other Black women who nursed and cared for gay men as our government (thanks for absolutely nothing Raegan!) ignored AIDS and how it was ravaging gay communities.
December 1, 2024 at 10:26 PM
For National AIDS Awareness Day I salute actress and activist Sheryl Lee Ralph and the host of other Black women who nursed and cared for gay men as our government (thanks for absolutely nothing Raegan!) ignored AIDS and how it was ravaging gay communities.
My thoughts on the WICKED film (avec spoilers)…
-) I don’t hate Erivo as Elphaba (I think my gripes with her acting are centered on how much I hated her as Celie). I think casting a Black woman in the role made the politics of the film (which is supposed to be allegorical) feel heavy handed.
-) I don’t hate Erivo as Elphaba (I think my gripes with her acting are centered on how much I hated her as Celie). I think casting a Black woman in the role made the politics of the film (which is supposed to be allegorical) feel heavy handed.
December 1, 2024 at 4:26 PM
My thoughts on the WICKED film (avec spoilers)…
-) I don’t hate Erivo as Elphaba (I think my gripes with her acting are centered on how much I hated her as Celie). I think casting a Black woman in the role made the politics of the film (which is supposed to be allegorical) feel heavy handed.
-) I don’t hate Erivo as Elphaba (I think my gripes with her acting are centered on how much I hated her as Celie). I think casting a Black woman in the role made the politics of the film (which is supposed to be allegorical) feel heavy handed.
I just got home from an amazing screening of Oscar Micheaux’s masterpiece WITHIN OUR GATES featuring an original score by Wycliffe Gordon at U of Miami. What a treat to see this important piece of film history.
November 22, 2024 at 3:43 AM
I just got home from an amazing screening of Oscar Micheaux’s masterpiece WITHIN OUR GATES featuring an original score by Wycliffe Gordon at U of Miami. What a treat to see this important piece of film history.
Post a non-religious photo that feels holy.
November 21, 2024 at 8:19 PM
Post a non-religious photo that feels holy.
I wasn’t trained by Julie D’Acci, but I worship at the Haus of D’Acci. When I encountered her work in grad school, it made so much sense to me. While running D’Acci’s circuit ain’t easy, it’s the methodological/theoretical frame that has fed my research for nearly 10 years. Thank you Dr. D’Acci!
November 16, 2024 at 7:42 PM
I wasn’t trained by Julie D’Acci, but I worship at the Haus of D’Acci. When I encountered her work in grad school, it made so much sense to me. While running D’Acci’s circuit ain’t easy, it’s the methodological/theoretical frame that has fed my research for nearly 10 years. Thank you Dr. D’Acci!
Everyone deserves a work husband like @petecant.bsky.social. (But you can’t have him because he’s mine — and I fight). Thanks for sending these pics of the advanced review copies of FANDOM FOR US, BY US at the American Studies Association conference, hubby!
November 15, 2024 at 9:48 PM
Everyone deserves a work husband like @petecant.bsky.social. (But you can’t have him because he’s mine — and I fight). Thanks for sending these pics of the advanced review copies of FANDOM FOR US, BY US at the American Studies Association conference, hubby!
Two and a half hours to showtime and I have a presentation!
November 15, 2024 at 4:55 PM
Two and a half hours to showtime and I have a presentation!
If you’re in/around Miami, I’ll be running my mouth about the be of my favorite things: THE WIZ.
November 14, 2024 at 2:14 AM
If you’re in/around Miami, I’ll be running my mouth about the be of my favorite things: THE WIZ.