Opinion
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Black Women Deserve the Truth From Their Doctors. Trump Is Trying to Keep Us in the Dark
When I was 19 years old, I walked into a health center in Michigan knowing I was pregnant but uncertain of my future. To this day, I remember the compassion and grace of the nurse who helped me, who saw me scared and crying but calmly let me know that I had options. I could…
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Jersey Black
When I tell people I’m from Jersey that usually garners one of three reactions: “Oh yeah what part, Newark?” Translation: All Black people from Jersey live in Newark. “Like Jersey Shore?!” Translation: That’s the most memorable Jersey reference I have. “Oooooh so you’re a Jersey Girl?!” Translation: I still don’t know what this means…
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This Ain’t It, Amanda Seales
In 1935, an Australian farmer brought a suitcase filled with 101 cane toads from Puerto Rico and unleashed them in Australia.
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I Took a Healthy Cooking Class Because I Haven’t Made a Proper Meal Since Thanksgiving…2016
So, I’m not a cook. Or an epicurean. Definitely not a chef. I do know how to prepare food, and there are certain dishes that I am repeatedly complimented on: my arroz con gandules, my collard greens, my homemade apple pie. But because I don’t do it often enough, it can be hit-or-miss, because, like…
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Fat Tuesday in Mobile: Like Regular Mardi Gras … But Blacker
The citizens of Mobile, Ala., know it’s the birthplace of Mardi Gras in America. If the subject of New Orleans comes up, they might mention the Big Easy’s Fat Tuesday party. Anyone who has attended the twin bacchanalian Fat Tuesday celebrations in New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., will testify that the real Mardi Gras takes…
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Bad and Boujee: Atlanta Takes the Title of America's Blackest City
The readers have spoken, and they’ve named Atlanta America’s blackest city! In our utterly unscientific but completely black-ass poll that capped our monthlong series in which we challenged writers to explain why their city deserved the title of blackest city in America, Atlanta collected slightly more than 21 percent of the votes (the second highest…
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The Friend of My Enemy Is … Van Jones?
I like Van Jones. I like Van Jones in the same way I like Cardi B, Barack Obama and grits, which is to say I like the idea of Van Jones. I’ve agreed with a lot of his commentary on CNN, and I support his efforts on criminal justice reform, most recently as CEO of…
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The Root’s Clapback Mailbag: The Racism Vaccine
Today’s mailbag only contains two pieces of mail. I just wanted to point that out up front before someone asks for their money back. It’s not because we’re running low on hate mail. It’s because we are running low on new kinds of hate mail. In the two years that we have been responding to…
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Where Is America's Blackest City?
How do you define the blackness of a city? For Black History Month, we challenged writers to explain why they think their city deserves the title of blackest city in America. And man, did they rep their cities hard. So now, we’re asking you, our readers, to vote for who made the strongest case. Here’s…
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The Definitive List of Get-Out-of-Racism Free Cards
Last night, during a run, I looked up and enjoyed the view. The stars sparkled against the backdrop of the cloudless indigo night sky, allowing me to easily identify the Big Dipper and Orion’s Belt. According to white people, I am now an astronomer. Although I have resisted applying for Neil Degrasse-Tyson’s job, people who…