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Remember Me: Ledisi to Star in Upcoming Mahalia Jackson Biopic
Grammy-nominated artist Ledisi will once again be portraying legendary gospel great Mahalia Jackson, this time in an upcoming biopic, Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story. Deadline reports that the Pieces of Me artist, who first portrayed the gospel legend in 2014’s Selma, will star in the feature along with former Scandal star Columbus Short, who…
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How to Be an Antiracist Author Ibram X. Kendi Teams Up With Netflix to Create Three New Projects
Historian (and 2020 The Root 100 honoree) Dr. Ibram X. Kendi will partner with Netflix for a handful of antiracist-centered projects. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix, along with Roger Ross Williams (the first Black director to win an Oscar) and the iconic Mara Brock Akil, will adapt three of Kendi’s books, Stamped from the Beginning,…
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Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris to Be Escorted by Howard University’s Showtime Marching Band on Inauguration Day
It’s about to be a great day for the nation and a great day for HBCUs. According to a press release from Howard University, the illustrious HBCU’s marching band will participate in the 59th presidential inauguration parade, escorting fellow alum Kamala Harris as she makes her way to the Capitol. The Showtime Marching Band will…
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OWN Renews Queen Sugar for a 6th Season Ahead of the Season 5 Premiere
The Oprah Winfrey Network announced today that the critically acclaimed drama from Ava DuVernay, Queen Sugar, will be returning for a sixth season. According to a press release sent to The Root, season five, set to premiere February 16, was completely revamped by DuVernay during the COVID-19 production hiatus. Wanting to reflect the very real…
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NBCUniversal Launches NBCU Academy, Part of a Multiyear Commitment to Address Systemic Racism and Inequality
Today, NBCUniversal debuted their newly established NBCU Academy, a training and development program for various community colleges and four-year university students focused on multi-platform journalism and training. In a press release sent to The Root, the new academy will include “a curated onsite curriculum for a hands-on learning experience with world-class NBCU News Group journalists,…
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Chadwick Boseman’s Widow Simone Ledward Makes Rare Appearance to Receive Actor’s Tribute at 2020 Gotham Awards
On Monday night, the 30th Annual Gotham Awards took place both virtually and in person at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. Even though the format of the night’s event was anything but ordinary, the awards still delivered big on the wins—and the emotion. Chief among them was Chadwick Boseman, who posthumously received the…
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Go, Mary! The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul Turns 50 Today—and It’s Truly a Family Affair
If you’re looking for a safe digital space (other than Twitter) to shamelessly stan and bask in the splendor of all things Mary J. Blige in honor of her 50th birthday, look no further than TOMARYWITHLOVE.com. The site, which is brought to you by founder of Professional Black Girl Yaba Blay, author and organizer of…
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From Bridgerton to Bond? Regé-Jean Page Addresses Internet Rumors About Him Becoming the Next 007
The internet has, as of late, been burning with desires for Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page to star as the next James Bond—and thanks to a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, we now know what Page himself thinks of the matter. According to Elle, Page, who plays the dashing and smashingly (pun…
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Their Eyes Were Watching Tyler Perry: Some Thoughts on Escapism, Responsibility and White Rage
For the past two weeks, I’ve been dealing with some heavy personal stuff that’s taken an immense toll on both my mental and emotional state. Coupled with the growing restlessness of the seemingly never-ending pandemic and the lack of social experiences to counteract said restlessness, by the time the New Year’s holiday came around, I…
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SZA Talks Taking CTRL of Her Music and Legacy for Cosmo Magazine
It seems like just yesterday I was riding around and gettin’ it to Grammy-nominated artist SZA’S album CTRL, singing (albeit loudly and offkey) to “Love Galore.” To say that that particular single was one of my favorites off the album would be an understatement. To say that I, along with countless other SZA fans have…
