culture
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Waiting for Sunset
The polls are set to open on Friday in Zimbabwe, despite calls from the world community to postpone the elections because of political, social and economic unrest in the country. Nelson Mandela is among the most recent leaders to condemn Mugabe and the violence there. Charlayne Hunter-Gault, a writer for The Root, is like many…
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Shaq in the Court of King James
The Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs, the NBA finalists in 2007, both exited the post-season earlier than expected this year. This week, they made big trades that alter the balance of power in the conferences. The Cavaliers acquired future Hall of Fame center Shaquille O’Neal from the Phoenix Suns for guard Sasha Pavlovic and…
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When Fresh Food is a Luxury
East Cleveland, Ohio—Barack Obama got an ovation when he recently stood in a Chicago pulpit and scolded parents for giving their children cold Popeye’s chicken for breakfast, according to The New York Times. But a short drive around Euclid and Superior Avenues, a major intersection in this Cleveland area suburb, would reveal why fast-food leftovers…
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Saving the Summer, One Hero at a Time
Last spring I taught an English course called Black Heroes that explored how black heroes have emerged and are depicted in the public sphere. The course moved from the 19th century (Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass and Nat Turner), through the 20th (Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Angela Davis and Assata Shakur). One…
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Summer Cheese Done Right, Please!
It may seem counterintuitive, but cheese is the perfect summer food. This information goes against the grain because of the way Americans typically employ cheese in our cuisine. All too often we relegate it to a supporting role. We slap it on burgers, put it on pizza, melt it over corn chips and of course,…
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Summer Groovin'
Damn the iPod. It will not now and nor will it ever be the cassette tape. Sure, it’s fancy and plays music with a clarity that has yet to be surpassed. But a pod-mix just doesn’t sound right. There is an art to making a mixtape, an ebb and flow. The beauty of it is…
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Summer Sippin'–Harlem Style
In celebration of summer, we at the DEN want to share some love with you…Harlem style. That Fourth of July BBQ is just around the corner and some of your esteemed guests may be tired of the same old, same old. So here’s a chance to show ’em the new hotness for this year. Or,…
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DTRT@20 Do or Die Bed-Stuy Banner
Photo illustration by Holly Allen. DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THIS BED-STUY BANNER! ______________ Finish planning your own Do the Right Thing @ 20 house party with these free downloads! How to Rock it like it’s 1989 African Medallion coasters! LOVE/HATE four-fingered rings! The Official Sal’s Pizzeria Box Michelle/Barack Compatibilty Quiz _______________ To read more of The…
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DTRT@20 Love-Hate Rings
Photo illustration by Holly Allen. DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THESE LOVE-HATE RINGS! Finish planning your own DTRT @ 20 house party with these free downloads! African medallion coasters. How to rock it like it’s 1989 Do or Die Bed-Stuy Banner The Official Sal’s Pizzeria Box Michelle/Barack Compatibilty Quiz _______________ To read more of The Root’s DTRT…
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The Incredibly White College World Series
Every June I find myself watching the College World Series, but never for long. Collegiate baseball isn’t something I follow in the regular season, mostly because it’s rarely televised before tournament time. I almost never pay attention to the score. For me, the CWS is more of a TV spectacle out of which I make…