Throughout the 2011 holiday season, The Root will be recommending our favorite tech products. If you try one, let us know what you think at [email protected]. The concept of free software is an old one. Many companies started out in the 1980s with what was called shareware: If you liked the product, after using it…

The head of Princeton University’s Center for African American Studies said that he expected Cornel West to maintain his links to Princeton despite his departure to return to Union Theological Seminary. Princeton professor Eddie S. Glaude Jr. (a 2011 honoree of The Root 100) described West’s retirement as a major loss for his program and the school. “As…

The following article from The Root’s archives remains relevant long after the airing of CNN’s Black in America 4 program. Enjoy! Soledad O’Brien’s latest chapter in her Black in America series has caused a huge uproar even before the episode airs on Nov. 13. In her continuing exploration of the nooks and crannies of African-American…

Jet, the magazine that was an essential part of the African-American conversation for many decades, celebrates its 60th anniversary this week. To reach this admirable milestone, the pocket-sized weekly has survived economic downturns, turmoil at parent company Johnson Publishing and technology changes that have affected all publishers. The cover of the 60th-anniversary issue, which comes…

The response to the death of Muammar Qaddafi was not celebrated in many parts of black Africa. Many in countries south of Libya may have tired long ago of the eccentric Libyan leader’s vision of a United Africa, even if he was willing to back it with generous handouts. But as Mahmood Mamdani writes at…

The recent article in The Root by Boston University historians Linda Heywood and John Thornton generated considerable interest in their groundbreaking findings that most American blacks are descended from just 46 ethnic groups and three major regions of Africa. In a follow-up interview, they explain the process they used to reach their results and the…

Dear Mr. Knell, I’ve been impressed by your first steps to embrace diversity as the new boss of National Public Radio. Since your appointment was announced last week, you’ve said all the right things — that diversity is important, that you also want to reach beyond your affluent listeners — and you’ve even paid a…

Steve Jobs, who tranformed our use of technology in four arenas — computers, phones, film and music — died Wednesday at age 56. The co-founder of Apple had been battling pancreatic cancer and took several leaves of absence before stepping down as CEO in August.Jobs left an indelible mark on an industry that he helped…