SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
There are possible spoilers ahead.
GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE! I was already thinking about the hunger games as an example of what your first paragraph alluded to and then BAM there you were saying exactly what I was thinking in your second paragraph. Her name is Amandla Stenberg and I remember when it happened that those people were delusional. (Shes a very outspoken activist by the way) Thats the problem with hollywood though. Movies are not meant to portray us in any sort of favorable light EVEN WHEN the characters are described as Negroid in feature. (Thats part of the reason why I push for our community to promote our own media, stories and movies).
Anyway, I digress. A lot of the names, dates and locations are from true historical events. (Examples were edited out to avoid possible spoilers) I could go on and on but why ruin it . Ultimately, I agree with you especially when you said, "For me, it is to ensure that as a race, we are represented in the visions of young black children via an imaginary future (in the stars?)." I couldnt agree more here but more on that priority as the book progresses, especially transitioning into the sequel. But the first half of the book has to lay the foundation for the reader and that is in the historical framework. As the main protagonists advance in technology and understanding, so will the reader transition from the historical framework toward "represented in the visions of young black children via an imaginary future (in the stars?)." Some in our community are satisfied with having a black superhero side kick in white scifi movies. I am not so easily please and believe we should completely make our own heroes and stories. Enter one of my main motivations for writing this series.