In 1985, Ebony ran this hopeful image of Michael Jackson, projecting what he would look like at the age of 40. Today it’s like a wistful imagining of what might have been, if Jackson’s career had taken a different turn. These pictures are just one part of a fascinating article on black retro-futurism by Rebecca O’Neal at Death and Taxes.
In it, O’Neal sifts through mid-twentieth century copies of magazines like Ebony and Jet, exploring their visions of the future for everything from fashion to politics. Here’s are predictions for black space-age fashion, which O’Neal suggests might not be quite as desirable as the Michael Jackson alternate future.
See more at Death and Taxes
