So you took a celebratory picture last week with a life-size cutout of Barack Obama. But look closely at your souvenir. Turns out everyone’s favorite cardboard president is not our president at all. Just when we thought our nation was finally in black hands…!

As honored attendees of Barack Obama during the inauguration ceremonies, a group of Tuskegee airmen watch history take flight.

In his economic recovery plan, Obama called on Congress to 'act without delay' and warned of dire consequences 'if we don’t take dramatic action as soon as possible.' This same sense of urgency must be applied to foreign policy. And the situation in Gaza demands immediate attention.

Jan. 20 cannot come soon enough with respect to the Middle East crisis. Hillary Clinton may be taking over the State Department, but new signals of respect and active engagement must come, quickly, from President Obama.

Chloe Mortaud’s selection as the face of French beauty and elegance has so few precedents that the French media have named her, perhaps cheaply, “Miss Obama.” Yet, the very discussion of Mortaud’s worthiness represents an advance in the way the French deal with race.

What are we to do with the assault of mothers, fathers and children of Gaza? Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker opens up about her sister's death and grief for her other sisters in the Middle East.

Now that 2008 is over, I think I should put my musings on the large stage of public life. My therapist used to tell me to sit down and compose a list of the top events of the year. So, here's my top 10 things I'm thankful for.

Forget hockey moms, hangovers with the president's daughters and Auto-Tune. We're kicking out 2008 and giving you a prelude to what's in store for 2009. Stay rooted in The Root for the new year!

A new party, formed by disaffected members of the ruling African National Congress, was launched in Bloemfontein earlier this month. The brash, new political kid on the block, known as the Congress of the People (COPE), says the ANC has forgotten where it came from.