-
Owner of D.C.'s Famous Ben's Chili Bowl Dies at 82.
“He lived a full life and put a lot into the business,” says one member of the family. Ben Ali, the man who put the Ben in Ben’s Chili Bowl, died Wednesday night at the age of 82. He and his wife of 50 years, Virginia, established Ben’s Chili Bowl in 1958 on the U…
-
Michael Jackson's Birthday Bash!
UPDATE: Click here for the flyer and information about the 2010 bash! You could say that Spike Lee always had a special connection to Michael Jackson: They were born a year apart, both to musical families. Back in the day, every Saturday morning, Lee, like many other black kids across the country, sat down in…
-
Happy Birthday, Mr. President!
This year, Barack Obama celebrates his birthday in the White House as president of the United States. But, Michelle Obama and the first kids will be hard-pressed to find the right present for the commander in chief who has everything. The Root readers recommend a few gift ideas for the POTUS as he turns the…
-
The Gates Case Roundup
Mistaken identity? The woman’s statement — corroborated by the police commissioner — means that much of the media commentary over the last week about the incident has been based on a faulty premise: that the police report is accurate. Moreover, tapes of the 911 call were released midday Monday. “One thing the tapes didn’t show:…
-
'Unknown on Race'
Listen here. The Transcript Dispatcher: Respond to 17 Ware Street for a possible B and E in progress. Two SPs (suspicious persons) barged their way into the home, they have suitcases. R-P 5 – SP. Stand by, trying to get further. Officer 52 (Crowley): 52. Ware Street right now, 17? Dispatcher: 17 Ware Street ……
-
Gates Says 'Yes' to Beer With Crowley
Statement from Henry Louis Gates, Jr. “It was very kind of the President to phone me today. Vernon Jordan is absolutely correct: my unfortunate experience will only have a larger meaning if we can all use this to diminish racial profiling and to enhance fairness and equity in the criminal justice system for poor people and…
-
President Obama's Statement on the Henry Louis Gates Jr. Arrest
THE PRESIDENT: Hey, it’s a cameo appearance. Sit down, sit down. I need to help Gibbs out a little bit here. Q Are you the new press secretary? THE PRESIDENT: If you got to do a job, do it yourself. (Laughter.) I wanted to address you guys directly because over the last day and a…
-
'Black in America 2' in Review
What does being black in America mean today? Does CNN’s ambitious program break the surface in explaining the black experience? Join The Root staff and readers as we partner with Black Web 2.0 to discuss “Black in America 2” with a panel of young professionals and academics. The second segment of “Black in America 2”…
-
Lawyer's Statement on the Arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr.
UPDATE: The disorderly conduct charges against Henry Louis Gates Jr. were dropped on Tuesday. Statement on Behalf of Henry Louis Gates, Jr. — by Charles Ogletree This brief statement is being submitted on behalf of my client, friend, and colleague, Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. This is a statement concerning the arrest of Professor Gates.…
-
Now He's Home
In a tribute to his status as a global icon, Michael Jackson’s memorial was streamed all over the world, but if there was ever any doubt, we know with absolute certainty that he was, in the end, a black man. The memorial turned the Staples Center into a home-going like the world has never seen,…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
