History
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The Whitest Insurrections of All Time
“A riot is the language of white people”— History Insurrection is different from terrorism. Although the two are not mutually exclusive, terrorism is “the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims,” while insurrection is “an act or instance of revolting against civil authority or an established government.”…
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An Incomplete History of White Election Violence
America is not a “civilized country.” While, compared to most countries, we have an abundance of toilets, street lights and wifi hotspots, the so-called “United” States also boasts more intentional homicides, gun violence and is more politically unstable than most of the developed world (or as one slightly jaundiced geopolitical expert calls them— the “shithole…
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Where White People Are Scarier Than Monsters: The Hidden Black History of Lovecraft Country
On Sept. 16, 1968, 51 years before HBO aired the first episode of its groundbreaking horror series, Carol Jenkins found herself in Lovecraft Country. Jenkins, a 21-year-old door-to-door encyclopedia saleswoman, sprinted away from a pack of bloodthirsty monsters chasing her through the tiny streets of Martinsville, Ind. She ran for the first home she could find…
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What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?
Read the full text of Frederick Douglass' iconic speech.
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America Is a Confederate Monument
I am 6. I am sad because my face is black and not striped. My sisters and I are at Kalmia Gardens, the beautiful home of Thomas Hart, who founded my hometown, Hartsville, S.C., in 1817. Every year, we visit the Kalmia Gardens Festival and every year, my mother forbids us from having the local…
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Exclusive Interview: Confederate Icons Speak Out on Recent Events
The George Floyd protests against systemic racism have reignited an age-old debate about whether there is a place in society for symbols to the Confederate States of America. In an attempt to examine both sides of the issue, The Root conducted an exclusive sit-down interview with two of the most heralded icons of the Confederacy…
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There Are Two Different Projects About Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre in Development. Both Are Necessary
When the pilot of HBO’s Watchmen premiered in October 2019, the history of Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre was put on display and at the forefront of a premium cable network in a significant way. For many, it was the first time they had heard of the historically tragic event. So, when…
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A Timeline of Events That Led to the 2020 'Fed Up'-rising
Without the proper context, it is impossible to understand the mushroom cloud of uprisings that are exploding across the country in the wake of the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless others. To contextualize the anger, frustration and desperation that forced protesters to recreate the lawlessness and chaos that black people…
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Maybe We Don't Celebrate DC's Emancipation Day Because We're Not Actually Free
Today, April 16, marks the date 158 years ago, when Washington, D.C., became the only American jurisdiction to end slavery by paying $1 million in ransom to slaveholders to free the 3,100 people enslaved in the nation’s capital. This holiday may be D.C.’s best kept secret. Public commemorations have been shrinking every year. Perhaps we…
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Before the 'Chinese Virus': A Brief History of White People Blaming America's Problems on Everyone Else
Donald Trump is a white supremacist. Donald Trump is a racist. While those two previous sentences might seem redundant, they mean two different things. Racists ascribe (consciously or unconsciously) characteristics and attributes to certain races, while white supremacists perpetuate and maintain the superiority of the white race. Even though white supremacists often use racism as…