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Shotgun Behind the Door: How Armed Black Southerners Helped Fight for Civil Rights
Most history students never learn that even Martin Luther King Jr.—arguably history’s greatest spokesperson on behalf of nonviolence—had armed guards stationed outside of his home and a pistol tucked in his sofa in 1955 when he emerged as the leader of the bus boycott in Montgomery, Ala. But he did. As time went on, he came to…
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When It Comes to Bowe Bergdahl, Obama’s GOP Critics Are Hypocrites
According to his critics, President Barack Obama can’t seem to do anything right. But the latest example of Obama-hate syndrome is truly bizarre, since it was triggered by the release of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the only American prisoner of war in Afghanistan, something that would normally elicit bipartisan cheers. But with Obama as commander in…
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Freedom Summer: If MTV Had Existed in 1964
Someone got the bright idea in 1981 to create an entire channel devoted to music videos and called it Music Television, or MTV—but showing artists performing on TV to sell records has been going on practically since rock and roll, and TV, were invented. As we were looking at ways to mark the 50th…
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3 Things People Didn’t Understand About #YesAllWomen
With more than a million tweets since it was created by Twitter user Kaye on May 24, the #YesAllWomen hashtag dominated Twitter last week. The awareness campaign—launched in response to Elliot Rodger’s murderous rampage in Isla Vista, Calif.—inspired what, to many, was a long-needed conversation about violence, sexism and misogyny. Here’s what everyone understood: Rodger was accused of…
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What the Bergdahl Mess Says About Obama’s Messed-Up Messaging
Let me be clear. I agree with President Barack Obama’s statement on Tuesday that “regardless of circumstances … we still get an American prisoner back”—emphasizing that the principle of leaving no man behind applies, “Period, full stop.” And I agree with the Wall Street Journal that, any other issues aside, making the deal to get…
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Art Mixed With the KKK Leaves a Bad Aftertaste
I’d gone to Montreal for a conference and, because I fell in love with the city, decided to stay a few more days to explore it. I was with my travel companion, a woman who’s working on a start-up site about art, and she asked me to tag along with her to check out Montreal’s…
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Think You Know the Dropout Rates for Black Males? You’re Probably Wrong
On Bladensburg Road along the border of Prince George’s County, Md., and Washington, D.C., a billboard reads, “57% of District of Columbia students drop out.” The billboard is large and imposing, with an orange backdrop and bold diagonal dashes on each side to mimic a road-hazard sign. Many would find the content of the sign to…
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Tenn. Bride Defends Dragging 1-Month-Old Down Aisle on Wedding Dress
Tennessee bride Shona Carter-Brooks put the finishing touches on her wedding dress by altering the train—to fit her infant daughter. According to Jezebel, Carter-Brooks had the dress altered so she could attach her 1-month-old daughter, Aubrey, to the train as she walked down the aisle last month. According to Buzzfeed, Carter-Brooks says she wore a…
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How 12 Black Chefs Cooked Their Way to the Top of the Culinary Game
Mix one part talent, two parts dedication and a sprinkle of genius self-marketing. Black chefs and restaurateurs may not have been part of the original American recipe for culinary success, but there’s no question that they’re in the mix now. 1. Barbara “B.” Smith Former model Barbara Smith has become an iconic restaurateur, entertaining and lifestyle…
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Book Excerpt: The Civil Rights Movement Was Sometimes Armed—and Not Always Nonviolent
Editor’s note: The African-American civil rights movement is often lauded for its commitment to nonviolence. But it’s not clear that the movement’s aims could have been achieved without the less-often-discussed tradition of armed black self-defense. The history is examined by Charles E. Cobb Jr. in his new book, This Nonviolent Stuff’ll Get You Killed: How Guns…
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