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Black Beauty Won the Night at the 2019 British Fashion Awards
It was a great night to be black and beautiful at the 2019 British Fashion Awards, where black women took center stage and made unprecedented wins during the 31st annual ceremony held Monday night at London’s Royal Albert Hall. No, there wasn’t another surprise appearance by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex this year, but the host…
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'Too Black,' Too 'Difficult,' Too Honest: Why Gabrielle Union's Firing Feels Painfully Familiar to Black Women
Growing up, I was constantly told to “shhh!” Whether I was right or wrong, happy or in distress, I was repeatedly reminded to lower my voice and take up less space—even while simultaneously being assured I could be anything I wanted to be and that my gifts were worth sharing with the world. Granted, I…
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It Ain’t Over: Cyber Monday Means There’s Still Time to Buy Black!
If you’re like most of us, you’re back at work this Monday—perhaps a few pounds heavier, but hopefully also happy and well-rested after a holiday weekend with family, friends (or maybe just enjoying the silence by yourself). That said, the passing of Thanksgiving means we are officially in the capitalist crush that is the holiday…
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In The Water: Rhiannon Giddens Pays Musical Tribute to the Painful Legacy of Wilmington, N.C.
Rhiannon Giddens is nothing if not prolific; the Grammy award-winner and Macarthur Genius Award recipient may have initially made her mark as co-founder and lead vocalist of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, but her musical acumen spans genres. From the roots music of her banjo-based all-female super-quartet Our Native Daughters (earning her one of two Grammy…
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From Carmen to Nefertiti, J'Nai Bridges Is the Next Big Voice in Opera
Amid the surrealist sets, majestic costumes, soaring voices and intricate harmonies of the Met Opera’s current revival of Philip Glass’ Akhnaten, based on the 17-year reign of the revolutionary 18th Dynasty Egyptian king, one of the most striking elements is that of his famed queen, Nefertiti. Performed by mezzo-soprano sensation J’Nai Bridges (pronounced “Jah-Nay”), Nefertiti…
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What's Good? We've Got Your Black—and Beautiful—Friday Deals Right Here!
By now, your stomach has hopefully settled from that third plate you insisted on having on Thanksgiving—and if you refrained from lining up outside of a big box store last night, you’re now ready to burn off some of those calories taking advantage of all the Black Friday deals. (Yes, pacing around your house between…
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Google Us, Baby: What Loni Love Doesn't Know About Black Plus Models Is Hurtful to the Women Who've Been Doing the Work
“There are no real plus size icons for me,” The Real co-host and author Loni Love told Hello Beautiful earlier this month—ironically, while hawking her first fashion collaboration with full-figured fashion stalwart Ashley Stewart. While The Glow Up and a whole gang of Aretha, Oprah, Queen Latifah, Jill Scott, and Lizzo fans would beg to…
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Akhnaten: A Revolutionary King Gets an Equally Innovative Opera
It’s strangely fitting that one of history’s earliest renegades has been immortalized with an opera that also defies convention—and indeed, for those unfamiliar with the music of Philip Glass, the operative word some may use to describe his opera Akhnaten might be “strange.” For the genre’s purists, the Metropolitan Opera’s production of his now 35-year-old…
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Let's Be Real, 2019 American Music Awards: Lizzo's Teeny-Tiny Purse Was the Biggest Winner of the Night
Honestly, we don’t understand a world in which Lizzo—who indisputably had one of the biggest years imaginable in 2019—wasn’t awarded anything whatsoever at this year’s American Music Awards (or at least nominated for Artist of the Year). We admittedly had different expectations, especially after seeing the star featured in the AMAs advertising and delivering yet…
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We Did That: The 2019 Root 100 Gala Celebrated a Decade of Black Excellence
In the increasingly fickle world of journalism, longevity is no small feat. So to be celebrating 10 years of being the leading online source of black thought, news, opinions, and excellence was a serious undertaking for The Root crew’s at our 2019 Root 100 gala—a serious undertaking that was a hell of a lot of…
