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Join The Root in Celebrating #BlackHistoryForever
We’re getting rid of Black History Month. No, this is not us standing in solidarity with Stacey Dash. This is an extension of Black History Month. Black History Month is a glorious celebration of our contributions to the world. But it’s only a month. There have been decades of complaints about black history being limited…
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11 Actresses Who Could Play Nina Simone Without Blackface
Colorism is real. It’s the reason women like Jennifer Lopez and Sofía Vergara represent Hispanic culture in Hollywood. It’s the reason darker skin is mostly celebrated by black people. There’s a melanin comfort zone or a threshold in Hollywood that is rarely disturbed. So when the powers that be decided that they would create a…
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Angela Bassett Reveals the Iconic and Historically Significant Role She Wants to Play
Angela Bassett is arguably one of the greatest actresses of all time. While I won’t hold my breath for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to acknowledge her (although she briefly appeared on-screen at the Oscars in a short comedic feature) with one of those highly coveted gold statues, I do think she’s…
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Black&Sexy TV Celebrates the Greatest of All Time in Black Cinema During the Oscars
We don’t need them to celebrate us. We can do it ourselves. During the Oscars, the amazingly talented YouTube collective Black&Sexy TV (founded by The Root 100 2015 honorees Dennis Dortch and Numa Perrier) celebrated the best and the brightest stars in black cinema with debates about the greatest of all time. After Chris Rock’s…
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Angela Bassett Plays 1st Black Woman to Head Secret Service in London Has Fallen
There’s just something about Angela Bassett. I was lucky enough to meet her, bask in her aura and breathe the same air she breathes, and I was left stunned. It’s obvious that she drinks from a fountain of youth that only she, Nia Long, Pharrell Williams, Tina Turner, Diahann Carroll and a few other black…
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There’s Nothing More Adorable Than a Little-Known Black-History Lesson With This Father-Daughter Duo
During Black History Month, we’ve been proudly sharing stories that you more than likely never heard about in school. We call these untold stories Hidden History. One of those stories was about Spotswood Rice, a slave-turned-soldier who was separated from his family and fought tooth and nail to get them back. We wanted to do more…
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Smokey Robinson Turned 76 Today, so The Root Is Celebrating With This Flashback Performance
Nothing compares to timeless music that is not only still relevant but also still tugs at your heartstrings some 50-plus years later. Smokey Robinson, a classic crooner, turned 76 years young Friday. I found this throwback performance of “Ooo Baby Baby” with the Miracles, and I can’t stop grooving. The tune was originally released March…
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Black&Sexy TV Presents: The Greatest Black Movies of All Time, to Be Debated Live on Oscar Night
Over the decades, black filmmakers and performers have found ways to create and tell our stories in an industry that was not built for us. We have brought our talents and resources to the table and made real contributions to the landscape of film. For this, we deserve to acknowledge and celebrate ourselves. Like it…
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Toni Morrison Has Always Refused to Privilege White People in Her Writing
Toni Morrison, who celebrates her 85th birthday today, has always enjoyed using her immense talent with words to write about blackness. Her entire writing career—which spans over four decades and includes more than enough books to fill your shelves—has not included the white experience or privilege. In an interview with Charlie Rose, Morrison discussed the…
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Fashion Brand Tells Popular Black Blogger: ‘We Are Looking for a White Audience’
Bloggers are often called upon as influencers to help fashion, beauty, tech—pretty much all the industries—push whatever their latest product is because, well … bloggers are cool. Bloggers always have their manicured fingers on the pulse of what’s new, now and next. Popular black fashion, beauty and lifestyle blogger HeyGorjess (Jessica Franklin) posted a photo on Instagram…
