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Cleotha Staples of the Staples Singers Dies
Cleotha Staples of the soul group the Staples Singers passed away on Thursday at her home in Chicago, reports Billboard. She was 78. Staples, the eldest sister and member of the group her father Roebuck “Pops” Staples started in the 1940s, died Thursday at age 78. She was at her Chicago home and had been…
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Character Based on Chris Brown Killed on 'Law & Order: SVU'
On Wednesday, Chris Brown and Rihanna’s relationship will be on screen, but not in the way most might think. NBC’s crime drama Law & Order: SVU will depict the pop stars’ rocky romance and try to solve the murder of the character based on Brown, writes Shadow and Act. Next Wednesday’s episode of NBC’s Law…
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Vatican's 'Gay Conclave' Linked to Pope's Exit?
The departure of Pope Benedict is now being linked to an internal Vatican report detailing the gay romps of a number of priests and the blackmail (which included photos) by the male prostitutes involved that followed, reports the Daily News. The 300-page dossier — compiled by three cardinals investigating the theft of Vatican documents —…
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Watch This: Michelle Obama's Mom Dance-Off
Following Michelle Obama’s popular appearance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, on which she beat the TV host in an exercise contest, there’s a new viral video to enjoy. The FLOTUS joins the comedian for a mom dance-a-thon, where she shows off moves like “the sprinkler” and “the Dougie.” Buzzfeed has even chopped their moves…
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'Malcolm X' Costume Designer Recalls Start
As we gear up for the 2013 Academy Awards, airing Feb. 24, The Root is speaking with black Oscar winners and nominees — past and present — about the prestigious honor. (The Root) — You may not immediately recognize Oscar-nominated costume designer Ruth Carter‘s face or name, but chances are you definitely remember her work.…
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Harlem Shake: Keep the Meme but Save the Dance
In a piece for The Root DC, Robert Samuels says there’s a fine line between cultural reappropriation and cultural evolution. A little more than a decade ago, a nerdy, lanky black teenager from the Bronx stood in front of a mirror in his bedroom. He had come home from a dance party at a debate…
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Young, Black and Nominated: Enough?
(The Root) — A dream came true for Academy Award nominee Quvenzhané Wallis recently when she met actress China McClain on the set of McClain’s show, A.N.T. Farm on the Disney Channel. Upon learning of her Oscar nomination, the 9-year-old Wallis reportedly expressed more excitement about the chance to meet her favorite teen TV stars…
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Why Bad Parents Oppose Kid-Free Flights
Writing at the Huffington Post, The Root’s political correspondent, Keli Goff, argues that there’s nothing at all wrong with child-free cabins on airplanes. I’ve long believed that people who claim they don’t like kids are misguided. It’s not that they don’t like kids. They just don’t like bad parents. I was reminded of this when…
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Meet the Father of the Harlem Renaissance
(The Root) — Alain Locke was born in 1885 in Philadelphia to freeborn blacks; his mother was a devoted schoolteacher, and his father a civil servant from Washington, D.C. The couple saw to it that Alain was given a most rigorous education, despite his being hampered by rheumatic fever as a child, which left him…
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'The Root Live': Be an Agent for Change
(The Root) — We all know of things we’d like to change about the world around us, but do you have the courage to participate in that change? Get advice for funding, dedicating your time and effectively bringing about the change you want to see. On Monday, Feb. 25, at noon, our host Harriette Cole…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
