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2011 The Root 100 List

The 100 most influential African Americans in 2011.

How were they ranked/scored?
81
  • Influence: 55.7
  • Reach: 7.4
  • Substance: 7.5
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0

  • Helene Cooper

  • Correspondent who occupies a front-row seat at President Barack Obama's press conferences.
  • Job: White House correspondent, the New York Times
  • Sector: Government/Politics
  • Location: Washington, D.C.
  • Age: 45
  • READ THE FULL PROFILE
82
  • Influence: 55
  • Reach: 6.9
  • Substance: 8.0
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0
83
  • Influence: 54.8
  • Reach: 8.7
  • Substance: 6.3
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0
84
  • Influence: 54.8
  • Reach: 7.8
  • Substance: 7.0
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0

  • Eddie S. Glaude Jr.

  • Professor who participated in a panel discussion titled 'Is the Black Church Dead?' at Columbia University's Institute for Research in African-American Studies.
  • Job: Professor of religion and African-American studies, Princeton University
  • Sector: Community
  • Twitter: @esglaude
  • Location: Princeton, N.J.
  • Age: 43
  • READ THE FULL PROFILE
86
  • Influence: 54.5
  • Reach: 7.8
  • Substance: 7.0
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0

  • Wyatt Cenac

  • Comedian who won an Emmy Award for writing 'The Daily Show.'
  • Job: Correspondent and writer, 'The Daily Show'
  • Sector: Entertainment/Media
  • Location: New York
  • Age: 35
  • READ THE FULL PROFILE
87
  • Influence: 54.7
  • Reach: 7.3
  • Substance: 7.5
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0

  • Paul Q. Judge

  • Entrepreneur and scholar who is on a team conducting an online research survey on identity theft, spam and malware.
  • Job: Chief research officer and vice president, Barracuda Networks
  • Sector: Business
  • Twitter: @pauljudge
  • Location: Atlanta; San Jose, Calif.
  • Age: 34
  • READ THE FULL PROFILE
87
  • Influence: 54.2
  • Reach: 7.2
  • Substance: 7.5
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0

  • Robert Battle

  • Dancer and choreographer who has been named artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
  • Job: Artistic director, Alvin Ailey
  • Sector: Arts
  • Location: New York
  • Age: 39
  • READ THE FULL PROFILE
88
  • Influence: 54
  • Reach: 7.7
  • Substance: 7.0
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0
89
  • Influence: 53.4
  • Reach: 6.3
  • Substance: 8.5
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0

  • Thelma Golden

  • Museum director who celebrates the legacy of artists like Romare Bearden while nurturing the next generation of African-American artists.
  • Job: Executive director and chief curator, Studio Museum in Harlem
  • Sector: Arts
  • Twitter: @studiomuseum
  • Location: New York
  • Age: 46
  • READ THE FULL PROFILE
90
  • Influence: 53.3
  • Reach: 6.7
  • Substance: 8.0
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0