Black Excellence
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Ta-Nehisi Coates Named Apollo Theater’s Inaugural Artist-in-Residence
On Monday, the Apollo Theater announced that Ta-Nehisi Coates—the critically acclaimed writer who recently presented his case for reparations during a riveting Congressional testimony—has been named its inaugural Artist-in-Residence. According to a statement provided to The Root, Coates will kick off his residency on Sept. 23 with the launch of his national book tour for…
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Duchess, Meet Queen? Beyoncé and Meghan Markle May Meet at The Lion King’s London Premiere
They’re two of the world’s most famous women (with equally famous husbands), are both working moms, share a few famous friends and both even sport royal titles (albeit one slightly more official than the other). But have Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle and Queen Bey ever met? If so, that’s a photo op we’re sorry…
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Director Kenny Leon and Danielle Brooks Bring Blackness to Shakespeare in the Park
As actor Danielle Brooks sings and shines as Beatrice in director Kenny Leon’s production of Much Ado About Nothing, the director can’t help but feel pride in his vision of staging an all-black production in the famed Shakespeare in the Park coming to fruition. Running through this final weekend on June 23 in New York City,…
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Otis Williams of The Temptations Weighs in on Hitting the Great White Way, His Mortality, and Patti LaBelle’s Big Lie
Otis Williams is on a roll. The founder and only original surviving member of legendary Motown group The Temptations is basking in the glory of seeing the fruits of his labor pay off with a hit Broadway musical, and recent induction into the Apollo Theater Walk of Fame. “I never would have imagined this when…
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Ain't Nothing to It…Boss: It's Official, Jay-Z Is a Billionaire
Big pimpin’, spendin’ cheese—but more more importantly, big pimpin’, makin’ cheese. A billion slices, in fact. At the end of 2018, Forbes announced Jay-Z as the richest musician. Now, Forbes is officially giving him a label many believed was coming soon: he’s a billionaire. The financial site is “conservatively” giving the rapper a $1 billion…
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1st Ever Black Student Body President Elected at Yale University
Yale University was founded in 1701 and is the third-oldest institute of higher learning in the United States. It is one of the nine Colonial Colleges, founded prior to the United States becoming a sovereign nation following the American Revolution. In its 318-year history, the college has never had a black student body president—until now.…
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Lonnie Bunch III Becomes First Ever Black Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Try as they may, black excellence can only be denied for so long. To that point, congratulations are in order to Lonnie G. Bunch III—founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture—who cracked the code and just became the first black person in the 173-year history of the Smithsonian Institution to…
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Yes, Oui, Cannes: Film Director Mati Diop Becomes First Black Woman Ever to Win
On Saturday, French-Senegalese director Mati Diop became the first black female filmmaker to win a prize at the Cannes Film Festival, the Independent reports. She was also the first black female director to ever have a film compete at Cannes. Diop, 36, took home the Grand Prix, the festival’s second-highest award, for her film Atlantics.…
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Homeless Student Awarded $3 Million in Scholarships, Named Valedictorian
For most high school students, their senior year is riddled with challenges. But outside of the demands of homework and having hormones on the fritz, 17-year-old Tupac Mosley of Memphis, Tenn., faces a particular challenge unlike anyone else in his graduating class: he’s homeless. Mosley refused to use his circumstances as an excuse not to…
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Sky's the Limit—Brooklyn to Rename Street in Honor of the Late Notorious B.I.G.'s 47th Birthday
Baby, Bay-bayyy! On the blessed day of May 21, 1972, Christoper George Latore Wallace, who would grow to be a man of many names—Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, Big Poppa, and more—was born. This year, 2019, marks what would’ve been the late legendary rapper’s 47th trip around the sun. Now, Brooklyn will immortalize him in a…