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Prairie View A&M University Finally Gets Campus Polling Station
For decades, students at Prairie View A&M University who wanted to vote needed to prepare for a small hike if they did not have a car or ride of their own. Voting meant a mile-long walk to the county community center and waiting in line near a busy roadway. But for this year’s November elections, students…
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Men Who Love 'Scandal'
(The Root) — Thursday night is date night at my apartment. Nothing special, just drinks — a glass of water for me, red wine for her. We have not seen each other in months, and I’m excited to be reunited. Her name is Olivia Pope. We will meet in my living room, where she has…
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Could Chirlane McCray Be the Next Hillary Clinton?
If her husband, Bill de Blasio, is elected mayor of New York City, Chirlane McCray would be the first African American to be New York City’s first lady since Joyce Dinkins, wife of former Mayor David Dinkins. The Dinkins era was short-lived (he was a one-term mayor), though, and comparisons are more often made between…
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Jay Z on Vanity Fair Cover
The first time Jay Z appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair, in 2001, life was remarkably different for the rap icon and businessman, who graces the cover of the glossy’s November issue. For one, there is the difference in wardrobe choices. Back then he wore a Yankees jersey, jeans (presumably from his clothing line,…
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A Black Woman's Nazi Roots
For adopted children, researching their paternal family history can be as emotional as it is enlightening. For Jennifer Teege, her research was downright frightening. The product of a brief affair between a German woman and a Nigerian student, Teege was put up for adoption by her mother, Monika, whose own life was also the result…
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Kerry Washington in Conversation With Cicely Tyson
There are legends, and there are stars. The former term can be used to describe Cicely Tyson, who recently won a Tony Award for her performance in the Broadway play A Trip to Bountiful; the latter, Kerry Washington, the Emmy-nominated actress who is headed into her third season as Olivia Pope, the complex heroine in…
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Al Sharpton on Tawana Brawley and Trayvon Martin
In Al Sharpton’s new biography, The Rejected Stone: Al Sharpton and the Path to American Leadership, the reverend gives his life story a much-needed update since his first biography was published in 1996. Sharpton has evolved from a fiery civil rights activist with a flashy perm to a still-controversial but arguably more respected public figure, who…
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Rick Owens' Steppers in Paris for Fashion Week
(The Root) — On Thursday, at his Spring 2014 runway show in Paris, designer Rick Owens put forth a challenge to the rest of the fashion world: When it comes to diversity, step up your game. He didn’t say those words exactly, but he expressed them by bringing diversity to the runway in a style…
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In Florida, New Trial Granted to Marissa Alexander
On Thursday Marissa Alexander, 31, was given a second chance by an appellate court, which ordered that she be granted a new trial. According to CNN, Alexander’s case will be retried largely because the jury in her original trial was given the wrong instructions. Alexander was sentenced in March to 20 years in prison for…
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Cory Booker's Twitter Messages With a Stripper
The hits just keep on coming for Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker. As he runs for the U.S. Senate in a special election, he has had to answer questions about his sexuality, tall tales in his speeches (remember T-Bone and Wazn Miller?) and even his growing gut. Now the New York Times is reporting on private Twitter…
