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Wynton Marsalis Talks Race in America, Jazz and Keeping Music ‘Ever Fonky’
Some might call nine-time Grammy Award winner Wynton Marsalis a musical genius. But that’s not a label Marsalis is interested in wearing. “Well, I don’t know anything about genius, but I know to try to be serious about it [making music],” Marsalis told The Root. “I don’t know about no genius.” The decorated jazz musician…
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LGBTQ Icons Define What ‘Pride’ Means to Them
Editor’s note: For Pride Month, The Root and Jezebel are teaming up once again for JezeRoot, with content by writers of color around everyday life for LGBTQ individuals. Pride Month is here, and JezeRoot is back! This month, we celebrate the beauty and vastness of the LGBTQ community and its contributions to this world—and what…
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Here’s Why Black Women Take the High Road
This week, Roseanne Barr—a bona fide racist—was outed, fired and hung out to dry. Former Barack Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett was the butt of a tasteless, racist joke. And at MSNBC’s Everyday Racism town hall, Jarrett had a few words for Barr. “I think we have to turn it into a teaching moment,” Jarrett said.…
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Black People Created Memorial Day—Literally
Memorial Day is here. Think barbecues, lemonade. A precious three-day weekend full of sun, sales and slacking off. But this is The Root, and you know there’s another part of this story. Little-known fact: African Americans created Memorial Day. Rewind to the end of the Civil War. In 1865, Charleston, S.C., was in ruins, and…
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White Woman Calls Police on Bob Marley’s Granddaughter After She Didn’t Smile. Now the Filmmaker Wants Justice
After someone called the police, seven cop cars rolled up on a group of black filmmakers, including the granddaughter of Bob Marley, Donisha Prendergast. The group was renting an Airbnb in Rialto, Calif. Now they want justice. Prendergast recently spoke out at a New York press conference. “Just because I wasn’t bowed and handcuffed against…
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Misty Copeland on How She Ended Up in Drake’s ‘Nice for What’ Video
Misty Copeland is making boss moves. In 2015 she charmed the world as the first black woman to become a principal dancer for the American Ballet Theatre. She won the hearts of little black girls as the Firebird Barbie. And the ballerina made her foray into fashion four years ago when she partnered with athletic…
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Ava DuVernay, Gloria Carter and Samira Wiley Honored at GLAAD Awards Because Black Women Stay Winning
For Gloria Carter, a closeted gay black woman with four kids, life was not horrible. But it was “different.” “I chose to protect my family from ignorance. I was happy, but I was not free,” said Carter at the 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York City on Saturday. Carter, whose youngest son is…
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Watch: Travis Reinking and the Invisible White Man
This week, another white guy with guns went on a rampage and senselessly killed innocent victims. On April 22, 2018, Travis Reinking entered a Tennessee Waffle House wearing only a jacket, killed four people and escaped butt naked. After a 24-hour manhunt that involved more than 160 officers, he was finally captured. Reinking had many…
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Watch: Police Slam Former NFL Player Desmond Marrow
Former NFL player Desmond Marrow appears to be the latest victim of another brutal police arrest. “You fucking slammed my head,” said Marrow to Henry County, Ga., police during his violent December 2017 encounter. Moments later, police forced Marrow to the ground and appeared to put him in a chokehold. He continued, “I can’t breathe,…
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HBCU SpringComing Brings Black-School Spirit to New York City
Homecoming is traditionally a time for alums to return to their alma mater, kick it with old friends and pay respect to the institutions that (presumably) meant so much to them as graduates. For the alumni who showed up at HBCU SpringComing this past weekend, it’s like they never left. Lauren Grant and George Twopointoh…
