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Poll: 50 Percent of Americans Say Race Relations Have Gotten Worse Since Obama Took Office
Nearly 50 percent of Americans say that race relations in the U.S. “have gotten worse” since President Barack Obama took office, and a mere 15 percent say that race relations have improved under Obama’s tenure, results from an Al-Jazeera and Monmouth University poll reveal. People’s opinions about the state of race relations differed along racial lines. “White…
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Black Cubans: Restoring US Ties Is Cool, but America, Keep Your Hang-Ups About Race at Bay
It doesn’t matter how much Cuba’s culture changes now that the U.S. has restored diplomatic relations; if you’re waiting for black Cubans to set off some sort of racial revolution, don’t hold your breath. That’s according to some black Cubans who shared their thoughts on race with The Root in the edited Q&A below. Omar Diaz is a 28-year-old…
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I Spent MLK Day With Presidential Hopeful Ben Carson. Here’s What I Learned
If you want a better idea about what Dr. Ben Carson sees as the driving force behind his presidential campaign-in-waiting, perhaps look no further than Carson’s own explanation for his rise in popularity on the conservative political circuit: “It’s not so much me as it is the courage to say what needs to be said.”…
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Brooklyn Man Who Was Choked During His Arrest Wins Lawsuit Against NYC
Kevin Dennis-Palmer, a 28-year-old father from Brooklyn, N.Y., settled a lawsuit against New York City for $75,000 for a 2013 incident that Dennis-Palmer alleges involved police brutality. He says that officers from the New York City Police Department used excessive force on him during a routine stop, including putting him in a choke hold, the…
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Yes, There Were Black Confederates. Here’s Why
The myth of black Confederates is arguably the most controversial subject of the Civil War. Over the past four years, the debate over whether or not blacks fought for the Confederacy has been the most discussed topic on Civil War Memory, a popular website attracting teachers and scholars from around the world, and the Atlantic…
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Nubian Figure Made of Ivory Comes Bearing Gifts
This image is part of a weekly series that The Root is presenting in conjunction with the Image of the Black Archive & Library at Harvard University’s Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. The ancient Near Eastern empire of Assyria is commonly known to history as a power unswervingly committed to savagery, with…
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Roxbury Artist Shines in Google Doodle for MLK Day
Ekua Holmes is a painter and collagist who mixes brilliant and vibrant color sense with a keen observation of personal interactions and urban life. And today the Roxbury, Mass., artist is having a day like no other: She was selected to create the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Google Doodle, which greets millions of Web…
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Martin Luther King Jr. on Revolution and Justice
Editor’s note: We’ll be featuring a quote from the iconic civil rights leader every day until Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday. Read more about Martin Luther King Jr.’s revolutionary spirit here.
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The Very Human MLK Portrayed by David Oyelowo Is the King We Should All Remember
There was a moment, as I watched Selma, when I became transfixed. I was fully immersed in the commanding yet nuanced performance of David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr. It wasn’t because the actor looked just like MLK—he doesn’t—or because he perfectly mimicked the cadences of King’s distinctive speaking style. He didn’t seem to attempt…
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50 Years After the Voting Rights Act, Equal Access to the Ballot Box Is Still in Peril
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act. The anniversary follows the release of Ava DuVernay’s film Selma, which documents the movement that gave birth to the VRA. In scene after scene, the film reminds us just how vehemently whites openly opposed equal voting rights for all. Today, however, thanks…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
