Founded in 1908 at Howard University, the sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha marks its 106-year anniversary today. Here are some notable members. 1. Phylicia Rashad Alpha chapter Actress 2. Toni Morrison Alpha chapter Author 3. Alicia Keys Honorary member Entertainer 4. Maya Angelou Honorary member Author 5. Kamala Harris Alpha chapter First African-American and South Asian…

On Jan. 13, 1913, 22 women at Howard University founded Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Since then, the sorority has seen many outstanding women among its membership and honorary ranks. Here are 12 of them. 1. Dorothy Height Rho chapter Civil rights leader 2. Melissa Harris-Perry Pi Omicron chapter Professor, public intellectual 3. Angela Bassett Honorary…

Left of Black host Mark Anthony Neal sits down with creator-director Chaunesti Webb and actress Lakeisha Coffey to talk about their upcoming play I Love My Hair: The Remix and how women of color must learn to be comfortable in their own skin. Later, Duke University professor Claudia Milian discusses her new book, Latining America:…

What were you doing as a child? Probably not running your own company or taking classes at the local college. We’ve gathered a list of some of the most exceptional black children in the United States and abroad. Prepare to be amazed. 1. Adam Kirby, prodigy At 23 months, Adam potty-trained himself after reading a…

On Jan. 9, 1914, three African-American men founded Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity at Howard University. Since then the frat has produced many notable members. Here are 12 of them. 1. A. Philip Randolph Iota Sigma chapter Union organizer, civil rights leader 2. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) Lambda Sigma chapter U.S. congressman, Georgia’s 5th District 3.…

Since Beyoncé’s self-titled album dropped on iTunes this past December, some videos featuring choreographed dances to her songs have surfaced. We’ve collected a few for your viewing pleasure. These folks make the wilderness look good with “Grown Woman”:  Rising dance star Charlize Glass kills this rendition of Beyoncé’s “Yoncé/Partition”:  And then there’s Yanis Marshall. He…

Left of Black host Mark Anthony Neal sits down with Rickey Vincent, a lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley, to discuss Vincent’s recently released book, Party Music: The Inside Story of the Black Panthers. Watch below:

According to a report from TMZ, actor James Avery, best known for his six-season run on the hit NBC comedy The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, died Tuesday evening, New Year’s Eve, at the age of 68 at a Los Angeles-area hospital. He appeared in numerous shows and movies during his career, including hits such as…

Black men triumphed in 2013. From film to politics and music, here’s a look at how they captured America’s hearts and minds. Steve McQueen The British auteur scored seven Golden Globe nominations—including one for best picture-drama—for his groundbreaking film, 12 Years a Slave, based on the memoir of Solomon Northrup. More than one critic described…

Crazy as it sounds, actor Idris Elba tells The Root, his first hesitation when approached about portraying South African leader Nelson Mandela in the film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom was, “He’s light-skinned and I’m dark-skinned!” It was a trivial concern when weighed against the greater challenge of taking on the role of what Elba…