Opinion
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And Now We Know Where Karens Come From: The Root Examines Kids' Obama Blackface Dance Routine
Karens are a unique breed. They can usually be spotted in head-to-toe Gap clothing drinking a pumpkin-flavored beverage. What’s most noticeable is the larger-than-normal pointer finger which is always ready to dial 9-1-1. They are usually unable to speak to sales associates and often can only communicate with managers. They are strong, but their collective…
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This Is Dedicated to All the Unfiltered Aunties I Have Known and Loved
Aunties are a thing in the black community. Whether they are the actual sibling of one of your parents, a close friend of your mama’s, a coworker, a teacher, someone at the church or just a member of your community, we all know at least one black lady we think of as “Auntie.” She gives…
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The Root's Clapback Mailbag: Black People Are Stupid
I want to be wrong. Every week, when the staff at The Root begins scouring our various inboxes for the weekly clapback mailbag, I keep hoping that one of us will discover an email, tweet, DM or comments from someone who can articulately explain why racism is dead. Just once, I’d love to hear someone…
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For White People Who Have Considered Genocide When Coronavirus Wasn't Enough
Like Coco dancing. I imagine hate feels like Coco dancing. Erica Gimpel played dance student Coco Hernandez on the 1980’s television show Fame. Coco didn’t comb her hair. She didn’t care about anything else but dancing. And, in every third episode, the Fame producers would write a scene that required Coco to bust every available…
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King Kong Ain't Got Nothin’ on Katie Couric's Reach, Says She Felt ‘Shaken' by Denzel Washington Interview
In 1933, King Kong climbed New York City’s Empire State Building, which has a roof height of 1,250 feet (1,454 feet with the antenna). And yet, the misunderstood beast still ain’t got shit on veteran journalist Katie Couric, who managed the greatest reach since the Michael Jordan Space Jam climax. Couric recently appeared on the…
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The Root's Clapback Mailbag: Can't Knock the (Race) Hustle
“You Can’t Knock the Race Hustle” A Clapback Mailbag original song I’m making short term goals for when coronavirus foldsSo I can put away the masks and wear regular clothes.Chilly, with enough hate mail to make ‘em look sillyIt’s only Wednesday and White Twitter sincerely wants to kill me.They read The Root and wanna feud…
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'Open the Economy' Is the New 'White Lives Matter'
“Give me liberty or give me death” — A slaveowner text What is America? Is it a plot of dirt littered with the discarded bones of those who stood in the way of white manifest destiny or is it a Constitution? Is it an assemblage of huddled masses yearning to breathe free or is it…