It’s Lit
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Stamped (For Kids): A New Adaptation of the Bestseller Will Provide 'an Antiracist Building Block for Children'
“Adults struggle to discuss race and racism. But what if we were discussing race since we were kids? What if we were learning about racism since we were kids?” This is the question posed by Ibram X. Kendi, the award-winning author, activist and historian whose many groundbreaking books on race and antiracism in America include…
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Learn Writing With a Master: Walter Mosley Is Sharing His Creative Process on MasterClass
If you’ve been trying to decipher the mystery behind writing great fiction, let acclaimed mystery writer Walter Mosley be your guide. Actually, Mosley, who this year became the first Black man to receive the National Book Award’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters for lifetime achievement in writing has written far more than mysteries…
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The Root Presents It's Lit! Goes Black to the Future With Kimberly Drew and Jenna Wortham
Remember zines? Okay, maybe we’re dating ourselves, but younger versions of The Root’s Editor-in-Chief Danielle Belton and I (Managing Editor of The Glow Up, Maiysha Kai) were early fans of the format, maybe even producing a few zines of our own. (Okay, that definitely happened). Historically, zines organize various creators and mediums around a single…
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President Barack Obama to Receive the 2020 PEN America Voice of Influence Award
When it comes to living American presidents, it’s indisputable (and infuriating, if you’re Donald Trump), that President Obama remains the leader who retains the most influence and goodwill in the global sphere. On Wednesday, PEN America recognized the indelible impact of our favorite president to date, announcing Obama as the recipient of this year’s PEN…
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'I’m a Black Person for Real. I Love Us.' The Root Presents: It’s Lit Talks Writing for the Next Generation With Jason Reynolds
Jason Reynolds famously didn’t read a novel cover-to-cover until he was nearly 18. At 36, he is one of the preeminent—and most prolific—young adult authors of this or any other generation, earning accolades and awards and carving a niche for both himself and an oft-overlooked demographic of would-be readers just like he once was by…
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The Root's One-on-One With Barack Obama
Because he’s been pretty low-key about it, you might not be aware that a promising politician that we’ve been keeping an eye on released A Promised Land on Tuesday—a book that offers a firsthand account of Barack Obama’s journey to becoming America’s first Black president. When The Root discovered this information, we thought we’d help…
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'We're Better Than This, but Just Barely' The Root Presents: It's Lit Talks Democracy With Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings
“So, it turns out that we’re better than this, but just barely,” laughs Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings in the days after a historic but still contested election, one which her husband, the incomparable Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) unfortunately didn’t live to see. Dr. Cummings’ quip is a play on her late husband’s famous quote and…
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'A Promised Land': Oprah and Gayle King Will Get First Dibs on Barack Obama's Presidential Tea
Former President Barack Obama will sit down with two very familiar faces as his long-awaited new memoir, A Promised Land, launches next week. Gayle King will be first on the docket to chat with Mr. 44 on Nov. 15 for CBS Sunday Morning. While the timing of the interview coincides with the release of Obama’s…
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World STOP: Blue Ivy Carter Narrates Matthew Cherry’s Hair Love
In a role that couldn’t prove to be any more iconic, Blue Ivy Carter, aka Beyoncé’s firstborn and lowkey manager, is now the narrator for the audiobook adaptation of Matthew Cherry’s Oscar-winning short film, Hair Love. In an adorable 10-second audio-clip, Cherry shared the news via Twitter: Black Twitter, of course, was beyond excited: For…
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'You Cannot Do Anything Alone': Marley Dias Tells Us How She Gets It Done on The Root Presents It's Lit
When we grow up, we want to be like Marley Dias. At 15, the founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks—which she launched in 2015 at age 10—has already garnered worldwide acclaim and authored a book of her own in 2018: Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You! In 2019, The Root honored her as one of our Young Futurists,…