-
Ashanti’s Stalker Represents Himself in Court Against Charges That He Violated Restraining Order
The theatrics that Devar Hurd—the man convicted of stalking Ashanti in 2009—displayed in a New York City courtroom Wednesday are one for the history books, the New York Daily News reports. Hurd served a two-year bid for stalking Ashanti, but after his release, Ashanti claims, he went back to his stalker ways. Hurd is now…
-
Hip-Hop’s Nas Joins Eric Holder as W.E.B. Du Bois Honoree
The third annual Hutchins Centers Honors convened Wednesday evening at Harvard University’s Sanders Theatre. The event honors trailblazers in politics, culture, business and finance. This year’s Du Bois Medal awardees—including Muhammad Ali (in absentia), former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, the Children’s Defense Fund’s Marian Wright Edelman, Ariel Investments’ Mellody Hobson, journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault, artist…
-
How Kerry Washington Plans to Keep Beyoncé in Her Presence
If Beyoncé made a cameo appearance on Scandal, I could see her playing a sly villain—but a duplicitous one who appears sweet but who tries to fool Olivia Pope and actually gets away with her mischief. That episode of Scandal would break the Internet. If Kerry Washington has her way, that casting will happen sooner rather than later.…
-
The Apollo Theater to Induct 3 Black Comedy Legends Into Its Walk of Fame
In 1969, trailblazing comedian Jackie “Moms” Mabley stood onstage in her trademark floppy hat and flowered housedress and told the audience her slogan for the week. “Quit it if you can’t get it,” she told the crowd to raucous laughter. “If you can do something with it, get it!” The African-American vaudeville-circuit fixture turned Broadway…
-
Ada ‘Bricktop’ Smith: Once the Grande Dame of Paris’ Nightclub Scene
In the 1920s and 1930s, Ada “Bricktop” Smith reigned as the grande dame of the Paris nightclub scene. T.S. Eliot wrote a poem for her, and she was a muse to the novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald, who boasted, “My greatest claim to fame is that I discovered Bricktop before [songwriter] Cole Porter.” It was under…
-
Tidal Announces 1,000,000 Subscribers and Charity Concert Featuring Prince, Beyoncé and Jay Z
The war between the music-streaming services wages on. Apple Music was up one when it released that commercial featuring Mary J. Blige, Taraji P. Henson and Kerry Washington that played during the Emmy Awards. It was a clear sign that the streaming service was trying to get in with the African-American consumer base. It had me…
-
College Planning in Today’s Economy
Before the establishment of the United Negro College fund in 1954, the reality for most African Americans who wanted to go to college was to either come from a wealthy family or get their tuition from private resources or benefactors. Across all racial lines, basic education was reserved for the privileged and college was reserved…
-
Chris Brown Says Australia Should Let Him in so He Can Raise Awareness About Domestic Assault
Australian officials want Chris Brown to give them a good reason why they should grant him a visa to enter their country to perform a concert, ABC News reports. They reportedly still have an issue with that 2009 assault of Rihanna. “People to whom these notices are issued have 28 days to present material as…
-
How to Turn Networking Into Cash
Harriette Cole is the author of the book of meditations 108 Stitches: Words We Live By and a contributing editor at The Root. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Elizabeth Warren’s Embrace of Black Lives Matter Is an Example of Moral Leadership
Elizabeth Warren is not running for president. But based on the dazzling speech she recently delivered on racial and economic justice, she most definitely should. Sen. Warren (D-Mass.) furthered our national conversation about race with a bold speech linking racial equality, public policy, economic justice and American history. Warren’s #BlackLivesMatter speech Sunday at the Edward…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
