-
Watch: Author Nicole Dennis-Benn on Giving a Voice to Jamaica’s Working Class
Here Comes the Sun, the stunning debut novel by Jamaican author Nicole Dennis-Benn, offers readers a different view of the island paradise. The book follows a mother working as a prostitute to make ends meet for her two daughters in a town strongly dependent on tourists. Many issues are brought to the surface: sexism, colorism,…
-
Watch: Artist Lina Iris Viktor on the Misconceptions of Blackness in Art, and Painting With Pure Gold
Artist Lina Iris Viktor is known for creating works using a palette of black, majorelle blue and pure 24-karat gold, but she refuses to be tied down to any particular aesthetic. She has a background in film, photography and performance art, so her work is expressed across multiple media. When we spoke, she was intensely…
-
Watch: Angie Thomas on Writing Her Best-Selling Young-Adult Novel Inspired by Oscar Grant
Angie Thomas’ debut novel, The Hate U Give, is a must-read for our young people. It tells the story of 16-year-old Starr, who lives in a poor neighborhood but goes to a prep school in a wealthy suburb. She witnesses her best friend, Khalil, murdered by police. It cleverly tells the common, opposing narratives that…
-
Watch: Michael Brown Sr. and Stranger Fruit Filmmaker Discuss New Mike Brown Surveillance Footage
The Root caught up with filmmaker Jason Pollock and Michael Brown Sr. at the SXSW festival earlier this month in Austin, Texas, to discuss Pollock’s film Stranger Fruit. Stranger Fruit is a documentary about what happened to Mike Brown, told through the eyes of those closest to him, including his father, Michael Brown Sr. Pollock…
-
Watch: Kalief Browder’s Family Discusses the Documentary Series That Exposes His Tragic Story
Time: The Kalief Browder Story is a six-part docuseries based on the story of Kalief Browder, who spent three years at New York City’s Rikers Island jail without being convicted of a crime. He was arrested at age 16 for a robbery he did not commit. During that time, he endured about two years in…
-
Watch: My Black History: Beyoncé’s Stylist, Ty Hunter, Got His Eye for Fashion From Diana Ross
Editor’s note: During Black History Month, the focus is usually on historical figures who loomed larger than life, paving the way for the progress we experience today. But black history isn’t just about telling stories of our past. History is being made every day and has been made throughout our lives; it’s not just in…
-
Watch: My Black History: Underground’s Aisha Hinds Learns Power of Art Through Nelson Mandela
Editor’s note: During Black History Month, the focus is usually on historical figures who loomed larger than life, paving the way for the progress we experience today. But black history isn’t just about telling stories of our past. History is being made every day and has been made throughout our lives; it’s not just in…
-
Watch: In Focus With Moonlight Director Barry Jenkins, Who’s Vying for Oscar on Sunday
Editor’s note: In Focus is a video series showcasing the new wave of black filmmakers. Earlier this year, before Barry Jenkins’ critically acclaimed film Moonlight went on to earn eight Academy Award nominations—including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay—the writer-director sat down with The Root to discuss how he got involved with the…
-
Watch: In Focus With Director Justin Tipping, Whose Film Kicks Challenges Our Perception of Manhood
Editor’s note: In Focus is a The Root TV series showcasing the new wave of black filmmakers. Justin Tipping is the writer and director of Kicks, a story set in Oakland, Calif., about a young teenager whose dream is to own a pair of fresh Air Jordans. Soon after he gets his hands on them,…
-
Watch: My Black History: Lorraine Toussaint’s Mission to See Barack Obama’s Inauguration
Editor’s note: During Black History Month, the focus is usually on historical figures who loomed larger than life, paving the way for the progress we experience today. But black history isn’t just about telling stories of our past. History is being made every day and has been made throughout our lives; it’s not just in…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
