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Washington, D.C.’s National Portrait Gallery Has Moved Beyond ‘Old, Dead White Men’
There’s something special about a portrait of Earth, Wind & Fire, the masterminds behind hits like “September” and “Sing a Song,” hanging in the same gallery that holds portraits of the Founding Fathers. Mostly that it seems unexpected even though their status as icons in the music industry is well-solidified. They deserve to grace these…
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Rev. Al Sharpton and I Are Both Libras and This Explains So Much
Libras are extra. A while back I wrote an entire column justifying my love of “nice shit.” And that was such a Libra thing to do. Because while we are natural diplomats, crave balance and are creative types, we also love beauty and, most importantly, ourselves. (We definitely think we are quite beautiful. *stares in…
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Hercules Goes Black and Doesn’t Look Back in Rousing Production of Disney’s 1997 Animated Musical
In an age where superheroes reign supreme thanks to a successful, multibillion dollar Marvel movies run, New York City’s Public Theater’s Public Works chose to take it back, way back, in terms of an O.G. superhero, in their delightful, multiracial, community-fueled production of Disney’s animated 1997 musical Hercules. While the film Hercules only flirted with…
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I Have a Crush on Caftans, Thanks to Designer Junny Hibbert
So, I like clothes, right? Like, really like clothes. Like, probably like them too much, but whatever. It’s my vice. I’m into it—along with hair salons (that are on-time), alcohol, eating overly expensive dinners and getting my nails done every two weeks, which I tell myself is about “self-care” and not “self-indulgence.” (But it’s probably…
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Director Kenny Leon and Danielle Brooks Bring Blackness to Shakespeare in the Park
As actor Danielle Brooks sings and shines as Beatrice in director Kenny Leon’s production of Much Ado About Nothing, the director can’t help but feel pride in his vision of staging an all-black production in the famed Shakespeare in the Park coming to fruition. Running through this final weekend on June 23 in New York City,…
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The Perils of Being ‘Office Oprah’
Once upon a time in a newsroom as white as the newly fallen snow, I stood out as the only black person there—woman or otherwise. I was it. It was me. Trying to rep for millions of black folks while my newsroom’s black population was less than 1 percent. Back then, I was young. I…
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Jennifer Hudson Honors Aretha Franklin's Legacy at Pulitzer Prize Ceremony With 'Amazing Grace'
An icon. A legend. A superstar. Aretha Franklin racked up plenty of honors when she was still with us, throughout her many years in the entertainment industry. Even her homegoing—her funeral—was more a soulful, celebratory concert than a dour ceremony. And in the middle of that homegoing concert was Oscar-Award winning singer Jennifer Hudson. Hudson,…
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I Won an Award, but Who's the Real MVP?
Last week, on Monday night, was the 19th annual Women’s eNews 21 Leaders for the 21st Century gala at Club 101 in Manhattan, N.Y. There was some revelry, but there was a lot more talk about how we can advance our cause as women, and ultimately, not just save ourselves, but save the world. As…
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Being ‘The Black Snob’ Was a Joke, Until the Day I Actually Became One
“I don’t know how you ended up so bougie when we came out of the same family,” said my baby sister, one day over the phone. I was taken aback. Me? Bougie? And yet, I was. Painfully so. And had been, at this point, for several years. But I was still offended. At the time…
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Dear Mariah and Shades on Luke Cage … I Love You, but 'OMG Please Stop!'
Unlike everyone else in the world, I didn’t watch all of season 2 of Luke Cage until this weekend. So that meant I didn’t get to be thoroughly and properly freaked out by this season’s “It” couple, Mariah Stokes Dillard (Alfre Woodard) and Hernan “Shades” Alvarez (Theo Rossi), until June 30, a full week after…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
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Hercules Goes Black and Doesn’t Look Back in Rousing Production of Disney’s 1997 Animated Musical
In an age where superheroes reign supreme thanks to a successful, multibillion dollar Marvel movies run, New York City’s Public Theater’s Public Works chose to take it back, way back, in terms of an O.G. superhero, in their delightful, multiracial, community-fueled production of Disney’s animated 1997 musical Hercules. While the film Hercules only flirted with…
-
I Have a Crush on Caftans, Thanks to Designer Junny Hibbert
So, I like clothes, right? Like, really like clothes. Like, probably like them too much, but whatever. It’s my vice. I’m into it—along with hair salons (that are on-time), alcohol, eating overly expensive dinners and getting my nails done every two weeks, which I tell myself is about “self-care” and not “self-indulgence.” (But it’s probably…
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Director Kenny Leon and Danielle Brooks Bring Blackness to Shakespeare in the Park
As actor Danielle Brooks sings and shines as Beatrice in director Kenny Leon’s production of Much Ado About Nothing, the director can’t help but feel pride in his vision of staging an all-black production in the famed Shakespeare in the Park coming to fruition. Running through this final weekend on June 23 in New York City,…
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Jennifer Hudson Honors Aretha Franklin's Legacy at Pulitzer Prize Ceremony With 'Amazing Grace'
An icon. A legend. A superstar. Aretha Franklin racked up plenty of honors when she was still with us, throughout her many years in the entertainment industry. Even her homegoing—her funeral—was more a soulful, celebratory concert than a dour ceremony. And in the middle of that homegoing concert was Oscar-Award winning singer Jennifer Hudson. Hudson,…
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Being ‘The Black Snob’ Was a Joke, Until the Day I Actually Became One
“I don’t know how you ended up so bougie when we came out of the same family,” said my baby sister, one day over the phone. I was taken aback. Me? Bougie? And yet, I was. Painfully so. And had been, at this point, for several years. But I was still offended. At the time…
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Dear Mariah and Shades on Luke Cage … I Love You, but 'OMG Please Stop!'
Unlike everyone else in the world, I didn’t watch all of season 2 of Luke Cage until this weekend. So that meant I didn’t get to be thoroughly and properly freaked out by this season’s “It” couple, Mariah Stokes Dillard (Alfre Woodard) and Hernan “Shades” Alvarez (Theo Rossi), until June 30, a full week after…
