15 Scary Black Folk Legends For Halloween, Black Celebs Who Attended HBCU Homecomings, MTV’s Ananda Lewis Has Sad Health News, Angel Reese Addresses Her WNBA Salary and Other News From the Culture This Week

A collection of The Root’s best posts of the week in culture

More Black Celebs Who Have Attended HBCU Homecomings Throughout the Years

LaLa Anthony; Drake; Ludacris and Taraji P. Henson Photo: Getty Images Brian Stukes; Prince Williams; Mark Gail

If it’s one thing Homecoming at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) will do is bring out the stars! Since the early days of Homecoming season, celebrities have always found their way to HBCU campuses for great times and even better performances. – Phenix S Halley Read More

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Will Ryan Gosling Play Black Panther? Answered

Bath & Body Works is in the Hot Seat for a Design Some Are Calling Racist, But is It?

HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 12: Customers shop at a Bath & Body Works store on June 12, 2024 in Hayward, California. Photo: Getty Images Justin Sullivan

Bath & Body Works is in the hot seat this week after a design for a new candle went all the way wrong. The chain, known for its yummy-smelling home and body fragrances, is being called out for the packaging of their “Snowed In” candle, which some say looks eerily similar to a reminder of this country’s racist past. – Angela Johnson Read More

Former MTV VJ Ananda Lewis Reveals Heartbreaking Update in Her Cancer Battle

Photo: Getty Images Paul Archuleta

For the past four years, fans of Ananda Lewis have been following her cancer journey. And although some have questioned her course of treatment, everyone has hoped for the best possible outcome. – Angela Johnson Read More

Black Celeb Women Who Are the Bread Winners in Their Relationships

Photo: Getty Images Prince Wiliams; Kevin Mazur; Stephane Cardinale

In 2024, women are taking over all the way from classrooms to board rooms. And despite the fact that society has made tremendous progress past traditional gender roles in relationships, we all know money matters. In the case of several of our favorite celebrity couples, Black women are taking the lead and holding down the household while also breaking boundaries in their respective fields. – Phenix S Halley Read More

Angel Reese Says Her WNBA Salary Would Have Her Broke-Broke Out Here

Photo: Getty Images Geoff Stellfox

As much as we’ve enjoyed the thrilling WNBA Finals competition between the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx, it also means the history-making 2024 WNBA season is coming to an end. For a lot of players, that means moving on to their offseason jobs. Yes, WNBA players typically have second jobs in the offseason, because the majority of players — the ones who aren’t stars — need the money. – Stephanie Holland Read More

Racist Graffiti Was Scrawled On the Walls of a Small Black Texas Church, Then It Was Burned to the Ground

Screenshot: KXII-TV

It’s a sad tale that’s been repeated too many times before: a Black church becomes a target of racial violence. More than 200 years after the first recorded Black church was burned to the ground by white supremacists, another church community in Texas is picking up the crisp remnants of their spiritual home after it was set ablaze in 2024. – Phenix S Halley Read More

The Very Surprising Story of How Jay-Z Became Worth $2.5 Billion

Photo: Getty Images Daniela Porcelli

Since becoming Hip-Hop’s first ever billionaire in 2019, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter has more than doubled his fortune. After transforming his musical career to one of the most profitable financial ventures in recent history, even fellow billionaire Warren Buffet said Jay-Z is “the guy to learn from.” – Phenix S Halley Read More

Oh No! Serena Williams Reveals Health Update About Her Scary Procedure

Photo: Getty Images Arnold Jerocki

Serena Williams is one of the greatest athletes of all time, but even she has to slow down when a health crisis hits. On Tuesday, the tennis champion shocked fans with a TikTok video that revealed she’s been dealing with a cyst on her neck. – Stephanie Holland Read More

Wait, What! This HBCU President Created a Shoe That Literally Grows Over Time

Image: Getty Images [{‘styles’: [], ‘value’: ‘Dimitrios Kambouris; @kustoo on Instagram’, ‘type’: ‘Text’}]

Dr. D’Wayne Edwards is known for being an innovative force within the design world. With over 32 years of experience in the footwear industry and as the founder and president of the only design-focused Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the country, Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design, Edwards continues to be a top runner in the sneaker industry. – Phenix S Halley Read More

15 Black Folklore Stories to Know Ahead of Spooky Season

Photo: Getty Images David Wall

If you’re Black, you’ve been told by someone in your family about some haint, a reappearing phantom or a folktale that left you with chills. In honor of spooky season coming, it’s only right for us to recount some of our Black favorites. – Kalyn Womack Read More

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Photo: Getty Images Soul Train via Getty Images

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Photo: Getty Images Ted Soqui

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