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Black American Pride: Marcia Anderson
(The Root) — A lot has changed since 1903, when W.E.B. Du Bois described black Americans as possessing what he called a “double consciousness,” caught between a self-conception as Americans and as people of African descent. As he put it in The Souls of Black Folk: “The Negro ever feels his two-ness-an American, a Negro;…
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Twitter on Jay-Z's New Album and That Other Magna Carta
(The Root) — Jay-Z’s new album, Magna Carta Holy Grail, dropped today, and the cool new thing to do on Twitter is to assume that people don’t know what the real Magna Carta is. Because, you know, hip-hop fans aren’t smart enough to know historical tidbits. They’re all too busy smoking weed and robbing liquor…
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The TSA's New Instagram Account
(The Root) — Sick of airport security’s invasive checkpoint procedures? Tired of complaining about your Pert Plus getting confiscated before your flights? Well, the Transportation Security Administration is tired of hearing about it, and the agency has gone on the defensive with an Instagram account. The account showcases pictures of dangerous items the TSA has…
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Therapists, Minorities and Discrimination
Most people would say a therapist’s office is a safe place to talk about anything. But what happens when discrimination and racism get in the way? A story in Psychology Today discusses how racism can influence mental trauma and how therapists can exacerbate the problem with their comments to clients. Insensitive remarks can be particularly…
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Obama: Africa Needs Energy
It’s a resource that can easily be taken for granted because of its ubiquity, but the minute the lights go out, the necessity of electricity becomes instantly apparent to all. It’s a realization that Africans know all too well, according to a report in the New York Times, which sheds light on a few local…
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Black Twitter Celebrates Independence Day — Mostly
(The Root) — Almost everybody knows at least one militant black person who is anti-Independence Day and makes it very difficult for you to enjoy your plate of barbecue in peace. There’s no scarcity of such folks on Twitter; every year I brace myself for all the “I’M NOT CELEBRATING AMERIKKKA’S INDEPENENCE DAY FOR MY…
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Tia and Tamera Have New Stretch Mark Cream
Twin actresses Tia Mowry-Hardrict and Tamera Mowry-Housley have a new product for eliminating stretch marks called Stretchy!, Clutch magazine reports. The product is an offering from their company Need Brands, which creates products for new moms. But writer Yesha Callahan says you can save money and make your own that works just as well. Nowadays,…
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Are Blacks More Racist Than Whites and Hispanics?
A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows that Americans consider blacks more likely to be racist than whites and Hispanics in this country. Really? Mind you, these results come on the heels of the Supreme Court decision that struck down the heart of the Voting Rights Act, which essentially was put into place in the 1960s to stop…
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Essence Music Festival Still Going Strong After Nearly 2 Decades
Almost 19 years after Essence magazine launched its first festival in New Orleans to “party with a purpose” and celebrate black culture, music and people, the Associated Press reports that Essence Fest may be facing new competition. Like Essence this weekend, last weekend’s BET Experience, held in Los Angeles, had Beyonce as a headliner. It…
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Can Lee Daniels Save 'The Butler' Film Title?
Deadline Hollywood has obtained a moving letter that director Lee Daniels wrote to Warner Bros. Entertainment CEO Kevin Tsujihara urging him to screen The Butler. Daniels explains that he has spent four years working on the film, which tells the dark and beautiful story of our nation’s racial history. It’s a last-ditch appeal to retain…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
