culture
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Duck Dynasty Star Adopts Black Baby
In what might be called a Hollywood trend, Jep Robertson and his wife, Jessica, stars of the wildly successful Duck Dynasty franchise, recently adopted an African-American baby, Jules Augustus Robertson, or baby Gus. Baby Gus made his debut on Jep and Jessica: Growing the Dynasty on A&E this Wednesday. Social media predictably weighed in this week, with the…
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Does Winning an Oscar Really Help Black Actors?
For many actors, an Oscar nomination or win serves as validation in the competitive entertainment industry. It theoretically opens doors and leads to more opportunities, which is one reason minorities—instead of seeking accolades elsewhere—are seemingly determined to force the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to acknowledge the achievements of brown people. “I would…
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Grand Jury’s ‘Rare’ ‘No Vote’ in Tamir Rice Shooting Points to Bigger Issue
The process of a grand jury indictment is largely mystifying to the average citizen. When the grand jury decided not to indict Cleveland Police Officers Timothy Loehmann and Frank Garmback in the shooting death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, the process of the grand jury fell under the microscope. When news broke Wednesday that the grand…
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22 People, Places and Things Less Petty Than Janet Hubert
Early Monday morning, Jada Pinkett Smith logged on to Facebook to tell the world that we should all boycott the Oscars because the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences didn’t see it for Will Smith’s interpretation of an Igbo accent. That same MLK Day, “blacktress” Janet Hubert (aka the original Aunt Viv) popped open her laptop, picked…
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Why Is Stacey Dash So Damn Stupid? An Investigation
On Wednesday, life-size human Bratz doll Stacey Dash found her way to a television studio. Flabbergasted that a human Bratz would have the wherewithal and agency to walk into a television studio, the people at the studio began filming her, hoping, perhaps, to capture a miracle. And then, while being filmed, she opened her mouth. And…
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Do You Have the Right to Post Things About Your Parents Online Without Their Knowledge?
Aliya’s turn: “What are you saying about me on social media?” In my childhood bedroom, my mom sat, her arms tight across her chest. She’d asked me to come over to discuss a parenting column I’d been writing for The Root. I hadn’t told her about it ahead of time and she was angry. Particularly…
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17 Unsung Heroes of Black Lives Matter
In 2013, after George Zimmerman was acquitted in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, the U.S. justice system sent a message to the black community: You don’t matter. The black community responded to that message by organizing a powerful movement that is forcing the world to acknowledge that black lives do matter. Black Lives Matter…
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Playwright Lynn Nottage Exposes Racial Dynamic of the Eroding Middle Class
For over 20 years now, master playwright Lynn Nottage has created work that has boldly inserted black women into the American theater conversation. Her numerous honors include a MacArthur “genius” grant and the Pulitzer Prize for Ruined, her play centered on Congolese women surviving their nation’s civil war that earned then-newbie Condola Rashad a Drama…
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Celebrating 15 Years of Finding Forrester
How does a black kid from the Bronx come to possess the skill of writing? How does a black kid from the Bronx come to befriend a reclusive, older white man who turns out to be a celebrated author? It happens in the movie Finding Forrester, which celebrated its 15th anniversary Jan. 12. But this…
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Watch: The Root Chats With Director Ryan Coogler at #MLKNow
Ryan Coogler is probably best known as the director of the record-breaking blockbuster Creed. But aside from directing, Coogler has a passion for social justice and equality. He is an activist and the co-founder of the Blackout for Human Rights collective. The Root had an opportunity to catch up with Coogler and several performers at…