Founded by Jasmin La Fleur, Black Fae Day is an annual celebration of Black people in Fantasy. It brings together fantasy fans and cosplays, and takes place on the second Saturday of May. It aims to bring more attention to Black representation in fantasy media, and whether it’s in person and or online, it is meant to highlight diversity in a media that is predominantly not very diverse.
The real world is a mix of colors and races, and Black Fae Day aims to bring such a world to media that centers around Fantasy and magical worlds. A theme is recognized each year, and that gives people the grounds to dress up in the theme that has been chosen for the year. But they are also allowing diversity with the costumes as well, allowing people to express themselves in colorful and creative ways, letting them have fun with personal identity and recognizing that everyone is welcomed into the space.
Jasmine La Fleur started off creating the holiday with aspirations inspired from Disney movies. However, there was a lack of diversity in the media. She sent out a tweet, expressing her unhappiness with the lack of Black folk in Fantasy media, and wanted to see Black folks dressed as fairies and many other fantastical creatures for her birthday, which was on May 8th. This was during the times of COVID, where negativity was at its highest, and the world was turned on it’s head. One small tweet took off an entire brigade of like minded individuals, who also felt the same as she did, and soon, Black Fae Day was born, with a community that grew all over the globe. From all the way in Japan, to here, locally, in Mobile, Alabama.
The first annual gathering of Black Fae Day In Mobile was hosted by Lady T. Musings, on May 10th. It was a beautiful gathering of fairies and elves, bringing the wonderful celebration to the quaint town of Mobile. It brought together a diverse gathering of individuals, who wanted to share in the creativity and love for fantasy that Black Fae Day had to offer. Toys and books were donated, books which had been given to them by the Haunted Bookshop in Mobile.
