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Trump’s Pardon of Muhammad Ali Would Mean Nothing
President Donald Trump today revealed that he’s considering thousands of potential pardons, including one for Muhammad Ali’s overturned conviction for draft evasion. His statements were greeted by the sports world, black America and even Ali’s former lawyer with a collective yawn. Never mind the fact that neither Ali nor his estate would benefit from said…
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Watch: The Downfall of Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby was found guilty Thursday of all three charges in the sole criminal trial brought against him concerning former athlete Andrea Constand. The jury’s decision came after dozens of allegations of sexual misconduct and years of public debate over Cosby’s conduct. Cosby’s upcoming sentencing may result in the 80-year-old serving the rest of his…
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Watch: The Barbershop Books Program Is Changing Lives
By the fourth grade, more than 80 percent of black boys in many of the nation’s school districts have fallen behind their peers in reading. This staggering figure not only highlights the shortcomings of America’s school system but also emphasizes the need for new ideas on how to approach and address the needs of students…
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Watch: Bitcoin, Hot Take Hotline, Episode 1
Them cryptocurrencies stay hot; what of it? In the first episode of Hot Take Hotline, we take you on a bitcoin crash course. What are some of the pros and cons of the current environment, and should you consider investing? The answer depends solely on whom you place your faith in.Hot Take Hotline’s first season…
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Watch: This Black Doctor Gave Us the Blood Bank and Saved Thousands of Lives
Dr. Charles Drew was both a revolutionary in the medical field and a pioneer for black rights. And we’re honoring him this February for Black History Month.In 1940, Drew became the first African American to receive a doctorate in medical science from Columbia University in New York City. He then went on to revolutionize the…
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Watch: Who Will Kneel for You? Artists Speak Out
The Super Bowl may have been noticeably devoid of on-field protests, but the multiple “head injuries” within the game itself were a not-so-subtle reminder of the controversies that led to the low ratings of the 2017 NFL season. In this video, Danny Glover, Anna Deavere Smith and a chorus of other artists recite “To Kneel”…
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Watch: Wait—Is the Women’s March for Women of Color, Too?
Women showed up and made their voices heard again at Women’s Marches across the country over the weekend. But The Root wanted to know whether the movement was truly inclusive. What brought young women of color out to the second annual Women’s March in Washington, D.C.? View some of the attendee responses in our video, above.
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Watch: The BEST Responses To That "I'm Not Racist" Video
According to Joyner Lucas, there are two sides to every story. In his breakout song, “I’m Not Racist,” the rapper attempts to start a discussion on how we approach racial differences, assisted by actors who portray the white and black characters who each own half of this two-verse track.But the black character in his viral…
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Watch: Cornel West Answers the Question, ‘Did Obama Let Us Down?’
Did President Barack Obama let us down? When Cornel West stopped by for an exclusive interview with The Root, we presented him with three questions that reflect the current state of the national political landscape. Watch his responses above. In a video coming in January, The Root’s Angela Helm and Terrell Jermaine Starr will delve into…
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Watch: How Black Voters Saved Alabama
After an arduous election, Alabama elected Democrat Doug Jones to the Senate over the embattled equestrian enthusiast and Republican candidate Roy Moore. For the first time in a quarter century, there will be a “D” beside the name of an Alabama senator, and you can thank black voters for that.Black-voter turnout for this special election…
