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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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Love’s in Need of Equality: Stevie Wonder Calls on Biden-Harris to Form ‘Truth Commission’ to Address Racial Inequalities in Open Letter to MLK
On Monday, legendary artist Stevie Wonder posted a four-minute video message in an open letter to Dr. King. According to Variety, the video, which was posted to Wonder’s official Twitter account, shows the “Do I Do” singer speaking on the impact Dr. King had on his life all while airing out his grievances with the…
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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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Imagine How Tired We Are: Upcoming Virtual Events to Get You Back Into the Social (Distance) Groove
Contrary to what it may feel and look like right now, we are in fact in a new year. Though our immediate environments, circumstances, and news cycles do a good job at convincing us otherwise, I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking we could all use some sort of reprieve from the already chaotic noise…
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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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The Story of Chicago’s 1st Black Mayor Will Be Told in a New Limited Series From Fosse/Verdon Writer Ike Holter
Chi-Town, stand up! The life of an influential political figure and Chicago’s first Black mayor Harold Washington will soon be headed to a screen near us. Deadline announced today that Fosse/Verdon writer Ike Holter will pen the script for the limited series under Paylocity founder Steve Sarowitz and Justin Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios. The untitled project…
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Watch Out World, We’re in Smoakland: Freeform to Develop New Series From Yara and Keri Shahidi
Yara Shahidi and her mother Keri will soon be bringing us into the world of the cannabis industry for a new series currently in development for Freeform, Smoakland. Deadline announced today that the single-camera comedy comes from the mother-daughter duo’s 7th Sun production company with The Chi writer Jewel Coronel and Scandal writer Zahir McGhee…
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Shawna Thomas Secures Executive Producer Spot on CBS This Morning, CNN’s Abby Phillip to Take Over Inside Politics
In case you haven’t noticed, there’s been a whooole lot of Black Girl Magic happening on the political front lately. And with the most recent round of major news network developments, it looks like things are about to stay that way. On Monday, CBS announced that Emmy award-winning journalist Shawna Thomas would be stepping into…
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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…
