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Beale Street’s Regina King Breaks Down What It Means to Be a Vulnerable Black Woman
We often speak about the “strong black woman” archetype, but what does it mean to be a “vulnerable black woman?” The reality is that the two characteristics are a bit symbiotic—after all, it takes a great deal of strength to make one’s self vulnerable. As Sharon in If Beale Street Could Talk, Regina King so…
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’Tis the Season: Here’s How Jesus Became So Widely Accepted as White
It’s no secret that Jesus Christ, known in Christian circles as the Son of God, is often depicted as a white man. But, how did the Son of God become so widely accepted as a European? After all, there are very few physical descriptions of Jesus in the bible. Keri L. Day, an associate professor…
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Fried, Dyed and Laid to the Side: Hazardous Hair Products Are Being Marketed to Black Women
From deep conditioners, to relaxers and gels, on any given day black women put tons of products in our hair. We don’t just wake up like this. Well, sometimes we do, but. Wait. OK. Back to the story. African Americans have tremendous spending power. In fact, according to Nielsen we spend about $1.2 trillion a…
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Viola Davis: 'If I were not a celebrity, I’d be invisible'
“I always say that if I were not a celebrity, I’d be invisible” said Viola Davis as she sat across from NPR’s Audie Cornish. The Emmy, the Tony and the Academy Award-winning actress is a black woman from South Carolina. Her father trained horses and her mother was a maid. The harsh reality is, if…
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So You Think You Know The Root 100?
Every year The Root honors the best and the blackest on an esteemed list that we call The Root 100. If you’re just hearing of The Root 100, then get with it. While you might recognize the names Tarana Burke and London Breed do you really know who these people are and their many accomplishments?…
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Tiffany Haddish and Tika Sumpter Play 'Never Have I Ever'
Have you ever slid in anyone’s DMs? Done online dating? Gotten back at an ex? Better question: Are you willing to reveal that you have done those things on camera, in front of millions of adoring fans? Tiffany Haddish and Tika Sumpter’s response: Yup! They’re ready! Ahead of Nobody’s Fool, The Root sat with Tiffany…
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Voter Suppression Is Real and It Really Affects Black People
I think we all can agree that the 2018 midterm elections are critical. This means that our votes matter more now than ever. But what happens when you’ve registered and are ready to participate in this good ol’ democracy but can’t? Let’s talk about voter suppression. Voter suppression is simple—it’s a set of tactics used…
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Bevy Smith Gets Intimate About her Unique Career Path and Shares Some 'Bevelations'
In her late 30s, Bevy Smith decided to leave a fabulous career as an advertising executive at Rolling Stone to pursue her dreams of being a television host. Fast forward to 2018—Bevy Smith is 51 and is hosting her second show, Page Six TV. It doesn’t stop there: Smith also hosts her own radio show,…
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What's Columbusing, You Say? We've Got You Covered
Every time we hear the name Christopher Columbus, we can’t help but wonder: “What will be stolen next.” The term “columbusing” has been around for a minute. “Columbusing” is when a person—often a white person, let’s be real—or a set of people believes that they discovered something that isn’t new. The term is a close…
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Janelle Monáe and Angela Rye Have One Message: Go Vote
The midterm elections are coming in November, and this vote comes at a critical point in our nation’s history. After all, we as Americans have the power to decide who will lead our country out of the despair of this Trumpian regime (barring no interference from Russia—let’s be real). Regardless, we must do our part…
