• 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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  • Common Plays ‘Black Ass Game’

    Black Ass Game is back! Our latest contestant? Common. I think that we all can agree that the Chicago native is a pretty soulful dude, but is he team Marvin Gaye or Curtis Mayfield? How about when it comes to hip-hop? Is the golden era best or do the 2000s reign supreme? Ahead of the…

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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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  • We Created ‘Melanated News’ for The Root 100 Gala, but We Couldn’t Resist Sharing All This Glorious Blackness

    Melanated news here! Get your melanated news here! The Root 100 gala was a glorious event brimming with blackness. If you missed it, then sorry boo, I can’t help you. Our gala was turnt. But in the midst of the acceptance speeches, swag surfs and other celebratory festivities, your homies at the video team created…

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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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  • Hidden Figures: The Colored Girls of Politics

    Whether seen or unseen, black women have always had a hand in the American political system. “For over four decades we four colored girls have been eyewitnesses to American history. History which we helped make,” said Donna Brazile, the former interim chair of the Democratic National Committee. The colored girls—Donna Brazile, Yolanda Caraway, Rev. Leah…

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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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