black excellence
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Parker Looks Up: Michelle Obama's Biggest (and Littlest) Fan Just Published Her First Book
She’s been a viral sensation (more than once), has had a dance party with the forever first lady, and has published her first book—all before the age of five. The adorable little art lover known as Parker Curry can now add “author” to her pre-K resume, as on Tuesday, she and her mom, parenting blogger…
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Our Lives, Our Style: Acclaimed Lifestyle Brand AphroChic Launches a Magazine for Us, by Us
They’ve been lauded by Elle Decor, launched a web series with HGTV, spoken at Harvard, published a book, designed homes for celebs, developed their own luxury home furnishings line, and are respected by some of the biggest names in interior design. Now, Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason, the husband-and-wife design team behind the popular lifestyle…
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'Once You Get It, Give It Back': Georgia Teen Pays Tribute to Mom With Winning Google Doodle
If you found yourself clicking with curiosity on Tuesday morning’s “Google Doodle” simply because you couldn’t immediately identify the brown-skinned people in the illustration, you were in luck; today’s Google Doodle is the winner of the 11th annual “Doodle for Google” competition. Offered to students across America in different age groups, this year’s competition theme…
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Starting This Fall, Amtrak Will Make It Possible to Live Your Bestest, Blackest Bougie Black East Coast Life
For a solid stretch—probably from at least 2008 through 2014—I’m going to assert that Washington, D.C., was the Black Brunch Capital of African America. If you wanted to see bougie blackness at its apex, the U Street N.W. corridor was your spot. It was nothing to see young black professionals and politicos dancing on couches…
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What’s the 411? Mary J. Blige Is Getting Into the TV Production Business With Lionsgate
Fresh off receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2019 BET Awards, Mary J. Blige is heading into new territory in her life, having struck a TV production deal with Lionsgate. The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul will create and produce TV shows for the studio through her Blue Butterfly company, Variety reports. As part of…
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2019 AFI Lifetime Achievement Ceremony: Denzel Washington Collects His Things; Beyoncé Honors Melina Matsoukas
Everyone who is anyone in Hollywood gathered to celebrate your favorite actor’s favorite actor Denzel Washington at the 47th AFI Life Achievement Award gala, presented by the American Film Institute, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Thursday night. The star-studded guest list included Spike Lee, Antoine Fuqua, Chadwick Boseman, Jennifer Hudson, Mahershala Ali,…
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He Just Can’t Wait to Be King … And Sing: JD McCrary Talks Playing Young Simba in The Lion King and Debut EP
Young Simba is my favorite Simba. Why? Because he’s cute, spunky, braggadocious, and has one of the best Disney songs known to man (and animal kingdom): “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” from The Lion King. That song is also known as a Leo’s anthem. Well, back in the day (all the way back…
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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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Perfect 10: It's Time for Nominations to The Root 100, Which Marks Its 10th Anniversary This Year, and We Are Psyched!
We here at The Root always look forward to The Root 100, our annual list celebrating the best and brightest in the fields of social justice, politics, entertainment, sports, media, the arts, science/technology and business. But we’re really looking forward to this year’s list with an extra level of anticipation. This year will mark the…
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Black Excellence: Kenya Barris and Rashida Jones to ‘Flip the Family Sitcom’ on Netflix
If you thought Kenya Barris had already redefined the black family sitcom for a new generation with ABC’s Black-ish, think again. Netflix has just announced the first offering from his recently inked overall series deal, and the writer-producer will now also become one of the network’s “strong black leads.” Barris will star and executive produce…