black
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The Weeknd Says Goodbye to the Grammys With a Boycott; Beyoncé Could Make Triple History at the Ceremony
“The biggest night in music” may come with some setbacks this year. In addition to having to reschedule the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony due to the global pandemic, there’s been some controversy about this year’s nominees—specifically, who isn’t among that esteemed list of musicians and artists. Following the 2021 Grammys nomination announcement, The Weeknd…
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PageTurners: Dear Black Women, You Are Magic
Here’s the thing about new books: They are the catalysts that inspire readers to try, do, and feel new things. “Black Girl Magic” is not just something that exists as a campaign or chant at rallies, but something to hold onto within ourselves and use to catapult over whatever obstacles come our way. The books…
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The 10 Most Significant Black Cultural Institutions or Entities That Never Actually Existed, Ranked
Ever since Ricky Baker caught a few 12-gauge shells to the legs and back in 1991’s Boyz N The Hood—holy shit it turns 30 this year!!!!!!—and moved on up to that deluxe apartment in the sky, he’s been part of the Black consciousness. Boyz N The Hood plays constantly, even in 2021, on TNT and…
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What's Good? Black History Month Collabs That Will Make a Difference Well Past February
“You good?” read the motif on one of the designs in Target’s Black History Month 2021 assortment, a now-annual rollout featuring collaborations with Black makers—and one arguably ahead of the curve of last year’s so-called “racial reckoning.” In the wake of the current racial justice movement, which was tragically reinvigorated in May on 2020, followed…
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'Love Is the Strut. Hate Is a Stumble': The Root Presents It's Lit! Salutes the Black Bottom Saints With Alice Randall
In case you haven’t noticed, “Black joy” has been our theme for Black History Month 2021 at The Root—and as the month comes to a close, it’s fitting that we share the joy that is writer Alice Randall. Perhaps you’re familiar with Randall through her bestselling (and controversial) 2001 parody of Gone With the Wind,…
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Black Renaissance & Chill: Finish Black History Month Strong With This Week's Virtual Events
Well folks, it seems that we’ve come to the end of this year’s Black History Month Road—but I can’t let you go just yet without providing another installment of virtual events to help you say goodbye the right way. However, there is good news to report! Next month is Women’s History Month—or as we call…
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Black Renaissance: Ibram X. Kendi Partners With Time to Claim a New Era for Black Creativity, With Amanda Gorman as Cover Star
“This Is the Black Renaissance,” the headline above Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s byline for Time magazine proclaims, at once a manifesto and mantra encapsulating what he (and others) recognize as “the third great cultural revival of Black Americans.” Like the Harlem Renaissance and Black Arts Movement before it, Black creativity is undeniably thriving, asking no…
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PageTurners: Manifesting Black Joy Across All Genres
Black literature is something to be celebrated year-round but during this month of socially distanced debauchery, Black authors have set us bookworms up for success. On only the second day of February, many authors pulled out all of the stops and have given us memoirs, short stories, debut novels and untold stories. Journal prompts and…
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Sounds of Blackness: Apple Music, ASCAP, Spotify and TikTok Celebrate Black History Month With an Array of Curated Playlists, Specials and Programming
Welp, it’s official! Black History Month is finally here, and I for one couldn’t be happier. Though I’m Black 24/7/365 and don’t ever need a set date to bask in that glorious fact—there’s something about the first day of February that makes me wanna pick out my fro, put salt (NEVER sugar) on my grits,…