Google Doodle has honored Octavia E. Butler, the groundbreaking African-American science-fiction author, in honor of her birthday on June 22. The late author would have been 71. 

As Time reported, Butler made history by becoming the first science-fiction writer to get the MacArthur Fellowship in 1995. She has been widely celebrated for bringing elements of African and African-American spiritualism and characters to the literary world – particularly in the science-fiction genre traditionally dominated by white male authors. 

Butler won prestigious science-fiction awards, including two Nebula Awards and two Hugo Awards. One of her short stories, "Bloodchild," won two of those prestigious awards. 

A Twitter account dedicated to the late author, who died in 2006, tweeted a call to Butler's fans to share how the influential author has inspired them with the hashtag #BecauseofOctavia.

Butler's family released the following statement on what would have been the author's 71st birthday:

"Our family is grateful and honored by the opportunity to invoke the memory of Octavia E. Butler. Her uniqueness emerged at an early age when she expressed a strong interest in the written word. It was clear, even then, that Octavia had found her destiny—she decided to pursue a career as a professional writer. 

Her spirit of generosity and compassion compelled her to support the disenfranchised. She sought to speak truth to power, challenge prevailing notions and stereotypes, and empower people striving for better lives. Although we miss her, we celebrate the rich life she led and its magnitude in meaning. 

Today, on her birthday, it is with immense pride that we give tribute to Octavia for the magnificent gifts she bestowed upon all of us. Her legacy endures. As long as we speak her name, she lives."

Butler's lauded novel Kindred, which introduced time travel to address slavery in the United States, is taught in high schools and colleges annually, NPR reported. 

Director and screenwriter Ava DuVernay announced in 2017 that she would be adapting Butler's book Dawn into a television series. 

Google doodleOctavia E. Butler