culture
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On White Women Who Pen Criticisms of Beyoncé and Serena When White Feminism Isn’t Enuf
The phrase “whiteness gone white” rings all the more true every time a talented-beyond-measure black woman graces us with her presence and is criticized for it. And white women are continually leading this cause. On Sunday, Feb. 12, a very pregnant Beyoncé graced our television screens as she levitated onto the Grammy stage with an…
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‘Bad Bitch’ Gone Bawse: An Ode to Amber Rose
Amber, I think I owe you an apology. Not because I’ve ever disparaged you; I haven’t. By contrast, I was likely dismissive—not always an easy task, given how strikingly you present. But I now consider it a blind spot in my personal brand of feminism (womanism), since admittedly, I’ve clearly never given you the credit…
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Black Women Were Basking in Excellence at Essence’s Black Women in Hollywood Awards
“I challenge you not to deny yourselves … we must survive because we love you.” Those were Aja Naomi King’s last words as she left the podium in a room filled with the glow of radiating love and #BlackGirlMagic, also known as the 10th Annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood event. On Thursday evening, King,…
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Trail of Tears: Militarized Imperialist Forces Seize Standing Rock Camp
With fire and smoke lapping the skyline, Standing Rock Sioux tribal members and water protectors marched, drummed, sang and prayed their way from Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires) Camp, the home they have built while protecting their sacred land from the “black snake,” also known as the Dakota Access Pipeline. The Associated Press reports that…
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Watch: I Love My Black Friendships
For Black History Month, The Root is celebrating blackness in a new The Root TV series called I Love My Blackness. In the series, we celebrate black skin, black style, black friendship and black love. Our first video of the series celebrated our love of our black skin and the understanding that black is gold.…
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Unique Views, Episode 32: Lil Rel and Lil Racism
Every week I learn something new about my co-host, Patti LaDanielle, aka Danielle Young, and this week I learned that she loves Lil Zane more than Lil Bow Wow. According to Ms. Patti Patti, Lil Bow Wow’s music career regressed as he got older, and Lil Zane never hurt anyone. Let me back up a…
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Get Out Is a Refreshing, Creepy, Stress-Filled Thriller Unafraid to Comment on Race
When I first watched the trailer for comedian Jordan Peele’s Get Out, I knew that I had to see it, and I wasn’t wrong. It was as if Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner was on some type of horrific steroid. Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and Rose (Allison Williams) have been dating five months, and it’s time…
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Watch: Spotlight on Black History’s Storytellers
The video below was published in partnership with Peabody Spotlight, a digital series produced by the Peabody Media Center at the University of Georgia in commemoration of Black History Month. Each part of the series draws from the vast Peabody Awards archives, the third-largest repository of audiovisual materials in the United States. Peabody Spotlight will…
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Watch: My Black History: Underground’s Aisha Hinds Learns Power of Art Through Nelson Mandela
Editor’s note: During Black History Month, the focus is usually on historical figures who loomed larger than life, paving the way for the progress we experience today. But black history isn’t just about telling stories of our past. History is being made every day and has been made throughout our lives; it’s not just in…
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Colored People’s Justice: Jacqueline Craig’s Attorney Speaks Out
I first met Jacqueline Craig in an investigation room of the Fort Worth (Texas) City Jail the night she was arrested. By the time I arrived at the jail, the video of her encounter with Police Officer William Martin had just begun to go viral and spark outrage all over the country. She wouldn’t have…