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Regal Trio’s Historic Link to Escaped Slaves and South America’s Indigenous Tribes
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. Presented as confident rulers of their own nation, a black leader…
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If the SOTU Were Like High School, Who Would Be ‘Most Likely To’?
We all watch the State of the Union to hear the president lay out his policies for the coming year. But just because the policy is serious doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun. If the State of the Union were a high school class, these would be the superlatives. Most Likely to Nod…
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Macklemore’s Apology Irks the Internet
Here’s a consensus: Kendrick Lamar’s debut album, good kid, M.A.A.d. City, was the best rap album recorded last year. Another popular opinion: Macklemore is kinda cheesy. So of course, people weren’t happy when Macklemore’s The Heist beat out Lamar’s freshman effort for best rap album at last night’s Grammy Awards show. (Macklemore won four Grammys…
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5 Things to Listen for in Obama’s State of the Union
For four years, President Barack Obama has offered his State of the Union address in a time-honored format that follows the trend set by most of his predecessors: with a laundry list of policy plans that he has hoped to rally Congress to pass. This year, though, he’s expected to try a variation on that…
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The Death of a Friend Inspires Reflections on Mortality
Something there is about the death of a friend or colleague close to your own age that makes you contemplate your own mortality. It happened to me several years ago when my good friend Ed Bradley passed, and it seems to be happening more frequently now as I am fully ensconced in my 70s. On…
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Quote of the Day: Sister Souljah on ‘the Coldest Winter Ever’
You can read this quote by the character Winter Santiaga in Sister Souljah’s novel The Coldest Winter Ever (1999) and in Bartlett’s Familiar Black Quotations. Read Sister Souljah’s interview with The Root here. Henry Louis Gates Jr. is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and founding director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University. He…
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This Is What It’s Like to Be a Black Female NFL Agent
Editor’s note: With this article we introduce a new column: My Thing Is, a place for The Root’s readers and contributors to reveal their personal narratives. Want to tell your story? Send pitches to MyThingIs@theroot.com. I’m a 5-foot-4, 130-pound woman who loves her stilettos and pastel suits—especially pink ones. What do I know about football?…
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12 Guaranteed Obama-isms You’ll Notice at the State of the Union
The State of the Union is a big deal for obvious reasons—but we won’t just be watching to hear about President Barack Obama’s latest proposals. Obama’s patented speechmaking mannerisms make watching the SOTU all the more fun. So we’ve gathered a list of our favorite Obama-isms that you’re most likely to catch Tuesday night. 1.…
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Did Lincoln Really Free the Slaves?
Editor’s note: For those who are wondering about the retro title of this black history series, please take a moment to learn about historian Joel A. Rogers, author of the 1934 book 100 Amazing Facts About the Negro With Complete Proof, to whom these “amazing facts” are an homage. Amazing Fact About the Negro No.…
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Usher Flies to Panama to Meet With Justin Bieber
R&B crooner Usher flew to Panama in an effort to have a sit-down with imperiled pop star Justin Bieber, TMZ reports. The 19-year-old singer’s mother, Pattie Mallette, his manager, Scooter Braun, and close friends Ryan Good and Ryan Butler were also reportedly on hand in Nitro City, a resort in Punta Chame, Panama, the report…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
