Black People Created Memorial Day—Literally
Memorial Day is here.
The Root’s Clapback Mailbag: Apologetically Black Friday
A few days ago, during a meeting, I asked The Root staff for more mailbag material. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be hate mail,” I said. “It could be anything worth responding to.”
Bloody Mae
Editor’s note: Welcome to The Root’s Sunday series highlighting the best in black fiction writers: It’s Lit! Each week we’ll feature a new story across all genres—from Afrofuturism to those stories that will bring a tear to your eye. Want to submit your short story? We’re looking for well-crafted works of fiction of…
The Mayor of Pittsburgh Had Young Black Drummers Dressed as Civil War-Era Soldiers at His Inauguration and I Have Questions
Bill Peduto was inaugurated as mayor of Pittsburgh on Wednesday, officially beginning his second term in office.
South Carolina Republicans Want to Build Stupidest Confederate Monument Ever
Two South Carolina politicians have proposed a commission to erect a monument honoring the legacy of black soldiers who fought for the South during the Civil War. The proposal is authored by a representative who has long been a vocal defender of the Confederate flag and another Republican lawmaker who said that the…
Tracing Your Roots: DNA Connected Me With White Kin
A reader wants to know if and how the black and white branches of his family connected during slavery.
Roy Moore Will Win Alabama’s Senate Seat Because Southern Folks Don’t Like Being Told What to Do
Let’s be clear: Nobody likes being told what to do. I hate it when my mortgage company sends me an email letting me know my payment is due on the first of each month. It’s set to autopay, but I ALWAYS consider disabling that option and paying it on, like, the 14th JUST because they’re yapping about me paying a bill…
SC Senators Still Want Monument to ‘Black Confederates,’ Facts and Experts Be Damned
The Civil War has long been over, but the long, slow, idiotic march of white nonsense presses on.
Black Lawmakers and Leaders Blast John Kelly for ‘Dangerous’ Civil War Comments
A number of black leaders in Congress, the media and academia have roundly criticized White House chief of staff John Kelly for his inaccurate and dangerous comments about the Civil War.
Wendell Pierce Calls John Kelly a ‘Racist Prick’ Over Civil War Comments
Wendell Pierce, the actor best known for playing Detective William “Bunk” Moreland on HBO’s The Wire, has never been known to mince words. Today was no exception. Pierce took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to deliver a harsh rebuke of White House chief of staff John Kelly’s ahistorical and bigoted comments about the…
John Kelly: ‘Lack of Compromise’ Led to Civil War
White House chief of staff John Kelly told a Fox host Monday night that a “lack of an ability to compromise” on slavery led America into the Civil War.
‘You Are My Slave’: Ga. Mom Furious After White Student Targets Son During School’s Civil War Day
A Kennesaw, Ga., mother is demanding answers after a white student called her son a slave during the school’s Civil War Day last month.
SC Politicians Try to Rinse Confederacy of White Supremacy by Honoring ‘Black Confederates’
Two South Carolina representatives hope to put the whole Confederate-monument controversy to rest—by memorializing the enslaved black people forced to fight for the Confederacy.
Ohio, a Union State, Will Reinstall Confederate Monument for Some Reason
When you try to be better about racism but decide you’re not really about that life: an American story.
Philadelphia Will Pay Tribute to Forgotten Black American Hero With New Monument
On Tuesday, the city of Philadelphia will resurrect the memory of one of its most influential citizens, Octavius Catto, a civil rights activist whose work was instrumental in getting black men the right to vote in 1870, and who helped desegregate the city’s transportation system.
Tracing Your Roots: Have I Found My Ancestor’s Plantation?
She found a photo of her great-grandmother in the records of a historic plantation house in Georgia, but little information about her life under slavery.
White Men are Winning at Literally Everything, So Why are they Still so Angry?
Who hurt you, boo? You should smile more. It may feel like the whole world is against you, but do all of you have to be so bitter?
Ga. Teacher Gives Students a ‘Bad and Boujee’ Civil War Lesson
Getting students to pay attention in class isn’t always an easy task. So nowadays, you’ll find teachers trying to reach kids by incorporating things they can relate to, like Migos.
7 Times Harriet Tubman Was a Badass Superhero
Harriet Tubman is having a moment. Right now she is the “it” girl of history.
Tracing Your Roots: Did My Wife Descend From Runaway Slaves?
A Canadian resident tries to confirm the origins of his wife’s ancestors, who reportedly traveled the Underground Railroad.