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Birmingham, Ala., Mayor Promises Free College Tuition for High School Graduates
The mayor of the third blackest city in America unveiled a plan that could fundamentally transform the future of the next generation with the promise of a debt-free college education. On Tuesday, Aug. 27, Birmingham, Ala., residents received a stunning announcement when Mayor Randall Woodfin tweeted that graduates of Birmingham City Schools will have the…
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The Root’s Clapback Mailbag: It’s Our Clapbackversary
“Sucker Emails”A song by Michael Harriot Two years ago, some co-workers of mineAsked me to clap back at trolls online.So we came up with a plan to respond to hateThe plan was dope, and it went this way:The Root took the comments emails and tweetsAnd put them in a bag until the end of the…
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Pieces of Chicken, Ranked
In the midst of the ongoing hullabaloo about Popeyes’ new chicken sandwich, we decided to settle a separate chicken-related argument that has raged for years. What is the best piece of chicken? We know the answer is subjective, so we decided to assemble a team of experts in the field of chickenology to end this…
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Breaking: Something Bad Is Happening in Virginia [Updated]
To commemorate the quadricentennial anniversary of the arrival of enslaved Africans in America, we imagined what it would be like to cover that late August day when the first slave ship landed on the shores of the place now known as Hampton, Va. 8/20/1619 2:27 P.M. Earlier: A few hours ago, The Root received several…
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The Root’s Clapback Mailbag: The Top 10 Clapbacks of All Time, Part 3
Many of the emails, comments, tweets and direct messages that make it into the weekly Clapback Mailbag are from well-meaning people who genuinely have questions or need advice. In fact, those emails, tweets, direct messages and comments have prompted some of the best clapbacks. Here are the Top 4 moments in the history of the…
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Not Like This: An Open Letter to Jay-Z
Dear Shawn Corey Carter, First, I would like to tell you personally that I believe you are the greatest rapper who ever lived. I’m sure you’ve heard this before and I know that it is useless to debate such a subjective topic but it is important to know that, aside from being my favorite rapper,…
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The Root’s Clapback Mailbag: The Top 10 Clapbacks of All Time, Part 2
As we continue our stroll down memory lane listing the greatest moments in the history of the Clapback Mailbag, I thought that we should focus today on how the writers at The Root have changed the world. According to our readers, not only have we increased racism by talking about racism, we also made Hillary…
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The Root’s Clapback Mailbag: The Top 10 Clapbacks of All Time, Part 1
For the next few weeks, we will select our favorite responses from the nearly 400 emails, tweets, DMs and comments we have featured in the weekly Clapback mailbag. We have enlisted a panel of experts to rank our top 10, but if there is one that you remember in particular, please list it in the…
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Please Allow Jonathan Weisman of the New York Times to Teach You About White Supremacy
Here is the essence of white supremacy. Despite the pronouncements of those who proudly declare their bodies free of a racist bone, white supremacy is not the same as racism. Actions and their results are what determine whether or not something is racist, not belief or intent. Nor is white supremacy defined by tiki torch…
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Mom Unleashes N-Word After She’s Arrested for Leaving Baby in Nightclub Parking Lot to Take Shots
Authorities say a Texas woman hurled racist obscenities and resisted arrest after police detained her for the simple crime of enjoying a few cocktails with her hubby while the family car babysat the couple’s infant. Police in the Trump-loving central Texas town of Copperas Cove, whose motto is “The city built for family living” responded…
