-
5 Things You May Not Know About James Baldwin
James Baldwin—novelist, essayist and simply one of the greatest writers of all time—would have turned 90 this year. New York Live Arts is marking the occasion with “The Year of James Baldwin,” a celebration of the writer’s life and legacy. The festivities begin today and run through April 27, with “Jimmy at High Noon,” a…
-
Tufts Conference Examines Barack Obama and American Democracy
Some of America’s leading public intellectuals, scholars and activists gathered at Tufts University April 16-18 for the fifth annual Barack Obama and American Democracy conference. Michael Eric Dyson’s exhilarating opening keynote offered a rich intellectual and political framework for principled criticism of the Obama administration’s political and moral failures with a balanced appreciation of…
-
Does a Diverse Wedding Reception Require a DJ Who’ll Play More Than Rap and R&B?
First off, I just have to say I am not racist in any way. I love every type of music and type of person. I’m getting married in June and my co-worker is a DJ and he wants me to use him, but I’m kinda scared of one thing: He’s mostly R&B, rap and hip-hop,…
-
6 Steps to Move From College Debt to Financial Success
Editor’s note: This is part 2 in a five-part series on growing and maintaining wealth. Read part 1. I grew up thinking that a college degree would be my ticket to wealth or at least entree into the upper echelons of the middle class. After spending most of my 20s digging my way out of…
-
A Woman’s Search for Family History Leads to Singer Nat King Cole
To know someone (in this case for nearly 20 years) can sometimes mean to not really know the person at all. I knew that Caroline Clarke was a foot soldier in the Black Enterprise clan. Married to Earl Graves’ middle son, Johnny, Caroline fit cozily into this black dynasty—not as a lady who lunches, though.…
-
In Greek Theater, a Black Mask Plays an Important Role
This image is part of a weekly series that The Root is presenting in conjunction with the Image of the Black in Western Art Archive at Harvard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Research Institute, part of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. An intriguing artifact from the classical period of ancient Greece attests…
-
Sen. Cory Booker Is an Optimist—but Can He Break Senate Gridlock?
All along the way of Sen. Cory Booker’s political rise, in one way or another he’s been cast in—and played—the good-guy role. He rose to prominence as the upstart Newark, N.J., city councilman depicted in the documentary Street Fight. As Newark’s mayor, he built a national profile by cultivating almost a million and a half…
-
What’s the Matter With Kansas? School Cuts, Not Michelle Obama
The News: More than 2,100 people have signed an online petition objecting to first lady Michelle Obama’s scheduled commencement speech at a Kansas high school graduation. The criticism, as The Root reported, comes from parents and students worried that the first lady’s visit will limit the number of tickets for the May 17 ceremony. Parents…
-
What I Want Black People to Understand About Suicide and Depression
The suicide of For Brown Girls creator Karyn Washington was a tragedy. From those who were her loyal YouTube followers to those who learned of her life only when it was over, it was easy for people to understand that. But some of the comments I read in reaction to the 22-year-old’s death reminded me…
-
How to Make Sure a Helping Hand Doesn’t Make You Go Broke
Editor’s note: This is part 1 in a five-part series on growing and maintaining wealth. When a university failed recently to award Marlon D. Cousin’s nephew thousands of dollars in anticipated financial aid, the managing partner of an Atlanta-based recruiting firm was happy to step in and close the financial gap. In fact, he had…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
