culture
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The Cleveland Cavaliers Are Going to Lose, but Not Because of ‘Light-Skinned Privilege’
The world would be a much nicer place to live in if sports were just sports instead of multilayered contests where our values about everything from race to economics are on display. But America—let alone the NBA—never promised us nice, which is why tonight’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals is rife with sociocultural narratives.…
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Akai Gurley’s Aunt Remembers Him as a Peacemaker
“I’ve never trusted the police,” Hertencia Petersen said as she shifted her weight in her seat. “I think cops work on modern-day lynching mode.” Our cameras were rolling as she candidly shared her disdain for law enforcement. “I can’t say that, can I?” Petersen asked solemnly. Petersen was sitting in the hot seat because on…
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How to Get Away With Murder: A Story of Grief, Apathy and Gun Violence in the African-American Community
Ken McClenton is a grieving father whose family is getting by on faith. His daughter, Charnice Milton, was killed last year in Southeast Washington, D.C., while she was changing buses on her way home from work. “We are persevering in the midst of our loss,” McClenton tells The Root. “You never get fully over the…
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Racists Prove That They Care More About Gorillas Than Black Children
Debates about Harambe—a 450-pound, 17-year-old western lowland, silverback gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo that zoo officials were forced to shoot to death May 28 after a 4-year-old boy fell into his enclosure—have reached fever pitch as the hashtag #JusticeForHarambe continues to circulate online. Harambe—whose name is derived from harambee, which is Swahili for “all pull together”—has…
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People You Probably Know if You’re a Country Black Person
I know I’m not the only one who felt some type of way when Damon Young continued his unwarranted attack on grits. It’s like he went into a Juneteenth celebration and yelled, “This is a fake Fourth of July!” But don’t worry, my country black people. As a representative from the “country-ass Negro” delegation, I’m…
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Dear White People: Here’s How to Interact With Your Black Co-Workers After They’ve Seen Roots
Hello, white people. Thanks for stopping by and reading! As many of you may already know, during the Memorial Day holiday, the History Channel began airing a four-part remake of Roots—the iconic miniseries tracing a black family’s history starting in West Africa, through American chattel slavery and up to the present day. As you can…
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I’ve Been Down in the Dad Hole for 4 Years and I Have Questions
Let me start this whole thing off by saying that I used to be cool. At one point in my life I was a working DJ, avid sneaker collector, hip-hop aficionado, fluent speaker of slang and avid consumer of modern popular culture. Then, a little over four years ago, things changed. I became a father.…
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An Ill. Woman Fired Warning Shots to Scare Off Man Who Had Just Killed Her Fiance. Now She Sits in Jail. How’s That Justice?
Here is what the law tells us: You have a right to protect yourself. Here is how the law is applied: If you are black and attempt to protect yourself, it’s highly likely that you will be arrested for protecting yourself. There is nothing new here. We all know that the application of the law…
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Your 4.0 GPA Won’t Protect You From Systemic Racism
Being “twice as good” won’t save you from becoming a target. Just ask 18-year-old Andrew Jones of Amite, La., who was denied the opportunity to serve as his class valedictorian. Despite earning a 4.0 grade point average, Jones was not permitted to participate in his high school graduation. According to reports, the student was stopped…