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Exclusive: Inside the Deadly South Carolina Prison Riot Where 7 Inmates Were Killed
An inmate and a guard inside a South Carolina correctional facility spoke with The Root detailing conditions inside the facility and a massive gang fight that left seven prisoners dead and 17 inmates injured on Sunday. According to a source who spoke to the Associated Press, the fight at Lee Correctional Institution in Bishopville, S.C.,…
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Don’t Disrespect Our Anthems: 6 Black Songs Off-Limits to Taylor Swift and Other White Musicians
When I first called the Department of Homeland Security to report Taylor Swift for suspected terrorist activity, the federal agents hung up on me just as I was explaining why I didn’t consider Swift’s remake of “September” an attack on the legendary band Earth, Wind & Fire so much as I regarded it an assault…
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Tale of the Tape: Nicki Minaj vs. Cardi B
After releasing two songs on Thursday, rapper Nicki Minaj reignited her feud with the current princess of rap, Cardi B, because—if we’re being honest—we kinda forgot about the black female Max Headroom of hip-hop once we met Cardi. I guess Minaj has to sell those records any way she can. (Is it even “records” anymore?…
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Texas State University and the War on Whiteness
In a case that involves Alex Jones, white tears, a racist Instagram account, an Illuminati-like student body government and the indomitable Caucasian ability to fit itself through loopholes, students at Texas State University in San Marcos have taken over the university’s student center after a failed bid to oust the student government president and anti-reverse-racism…
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Renowned Poet and Activist Eccentrich Richardson Rebuilds After Heartbreaking Loss
A black woman is a church. She is as much a refuge as the churches that provided escapees sanctuary on the Underground Railroad. Like any house of worship, she is the pillar of her community. Countless prayers have come from inside her. Even those of us who are not religious—we all know a church. We…
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The Root’s Clapback Mailbag: Apologetically Black Friday
A few days ago, during a meeting, I asked The Root staff for more mailbag material. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be hate mail,” I said. “It could be anything worth responding to.” In my head, I was sure that readers had reached out to our writers for a number of reasons. Maybe they tweeted…
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This Is Probably My Last Day at The Root Before Janet Jackson Hires Me as a Backup Dancer
First, I’d like to apologize to Editor-in-Chief Danielle Belton for lying to her when she interviewed me for this position that it was my dream job. At that point in my life, I thought playing point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers or starting at quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys was a long shot. More…
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‘Diversity of Thought’ Is Just a Euphemism for ‘White Supremacy’
Every so often a new phrase emerges that encapsulates the cunning Caucasian ability to keep power and dominance within their clutches by painting themselves as the oppressed class. Whether it is “reverse racism,” “Make America great again” or “separate but equal,” coining catchphrases as a means of maintaining white supremacy has been one of our…
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The Difference Between Soul Food and Southern Cuisine, Explained
I was recently alerted to a troubling trend in the food industry by someone who contacted me to voice their outrage. The concerned citizen explained that there was a large population of people who were confused, or were being intentionally misled, about the difference between soul food and the more widely available fare often described…
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Who Put ‘It’s OK to Be White’ Cards in Diapers at Target?
In March, Target customers in different parts of the country began finding cards emblazoned with the phrase, “It’s OK to be white” in boxes of diapers purchased from the retail giant. According to the Anti-Defamation League, the first card was found inside a box of store-brand diapers bought in Washington, D.C. The opposite side of…
