Black Excellence
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Pittsburgh Steelers’ Ulysses Gilbert Pays Off Layaway for 60 Florida Families
See, Colin Kaepernick isn’t the only kindhearted, good-natured professional football player in the world. Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ulysees Gilbert III helped spread good holiday cheer when he paid off the layaway debt for 60 Florida families earlier this week. The NFL rookie returned to his Marion County hometown to bring a Christmas miracle to people…
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Korey Wise of The Exonerated Five Hosts Christmas Toy Giveaway in His Old Harlem Neighborhood: ‘There’s Nothing Better’
Korey Wise never ceases to amaze. Living in Los Angeles, I’ve had the luxury of crossing paths with the man who’s blossomed into the unofficial ambassador of The Exonerated Five a number of times. And despite the unspeakable horrors he endured at the hands of our criminal justice system, as told by Ava Duverney’s brilliant…
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Jussie Smollett Donates $10,000 to Flint Kids Program
Despite being mired in one of the biggest controversies of 2019, Jussie Smollett still seems to have a heart of gold during this holiday season. The disgraced Empire actor is showing much grace and altruism with his recent act of kindness to those in need. Smollett showed up for a surprise visit to Flint, Michigan…
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Three Queens to Rule Them All: South Side Chicago School Crowned State Chess Champs
Ten years ago, St. Ethelreda, a majority-black co-ed Catholic school on Chicago’s South Side, was close to being shuttered due to low enrollment. Now, the school is sitting on top, thanks to the performance of three chess champions. Shakira Luster, Trechelle Williams, and Imani Hall were greeted with raucous cheers from their fellow students this…
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Becoming and Benevolent: For Giving Tuesday, the Obamas Pay It Forward
In the years since they left the White House *sniff*, the Obamas have proven to be the gift that keeps on giving—whether it be writing bestsellers, elevating black artists or simply reminding us to live our best lives in defiance of Trump’s America. Now, for #GivingTuesday, they’re setting an example of philanthropy at work with…
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11-Year-Old Ballerina Charlotte Nebres Makes History as First Black Lead in NYC Ballet's The Nutcracker
She’s just eleven years old and just made history. Charlotte Nebres is starring as Marie, the young heroine of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, which opened Friday at New York City Ballet. She’s the first black ballerina to be cast in the lead role for the prestigious company. The Madison, NJ native’s barrier-breaking achievement is a…
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5-Year-Old Drumming Prodigy Receives Scholarship Offer From HBCU Alcorn State University: 'It's Mind-Blowing Every Day'
Musical prodigies showcase their otherworldly abilities at a young age, but Jeremiah Travis is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. And the historically black Alcorn State University apparently feels the same way, as it has offered the 5-year-old wunderkind a full band scholarship well over a decade before he even graduates high school. USA Today…
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John Legend Is (Not So Ordinary) People’s Sexiest Man Alive 2019
All of People Magazine loves all of John Legend because they’ve just chosen the crooner and pianist as 2019’s Sexiest Man Alive. Legend, who I’ve started lovingly referring to as “Piano Arthur” (Hey! His wife Chrissy Teigen fully embraces the meme joke!), was certainly honored, but those prideful feelings were mixed with a little fear,…
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![Youngest in Charge: 21-Year-Old Tay Anderson Talks Education, Representation After Winning Denver School Board Seat [Corrected]](https://www.theroot.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/kdqrk9jbm2cwabeffc7w-300x239.png)
Youngest in Charge: 21-Year-Old Tay Anderson Talks Education, Representation After Winning Denver School Board Seat [Corrected]
On Nov. 5, after a hard-fought campaign, a reinvigorated Tay Anderson rose to his feet in triumph. The first election results from his bid for a seat on the Denver school board had just come in and as raw emotion coursed through his veins, all he could think about was calling the woman who inspired…
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![Revenge of the Blerds: Howard Squares Up Against Harvard for the 'Great Debate' [Corrected]](https://www.theroot.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/in6xcwzgtphe118aimtw-300x169.png)
Revenge of the Blerds: Howard Squares Up Against Harvard for the 'Great Debate' [Corrected]
Corrected: Thursday, Nov. 14 at 9:40 a.m. ET: A previous version of this story, citing information from a Howard press release, incorrectly stated that Howard won a debate against Harvard. The event is an exhibition, and there are no winners. Below is a corrected version of the story: The Howard Bison went head to head…