culture
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‘I’m From Here’: Washington, DC, Natives Fight Back Against the Whitewashing of Chocolate City
When I arrived in Washington, D.C., more than two decades ago to attend Howard University, one of the first things I noticed was the diversity of black people, all different kinds: rich ones, poor ones, bougie ones and the natives, born and raised in D.C., who introduced me to mambo sauce, go-go music and New…
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Cast of Queen Sugar Gets Real About Interracial Dating. Guess Who Was Told, ‘Don’t Bring the Oppressor Home’
It’s the hot-button topic right now: interracial dating and love. Donald Glover faced criticism around the topic after the release of his viral hit, “This Is America.” The video screamed blackness and reminded everyone that all of the art Glover’s been providing lately is also saturated with black culture. So when images of his white…
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‘Rafiki’ Actress Explains Why The Lion King Is One of Broadway’s Blackest and Most Legendary Shows Ever
The Lion King is still one of my favorite Disney movies (and stories) of all time. And I am obviously not alone. The movie has stretched onto the Broadway stage and been slaying for over 20 years! There’s no way this musical would have that sort of staying power if it wasn’t your favorite’s favorite.…
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When Your Privilege Is Whiter Than Top-Shelf Cocaine, This Happens
Here at The Root, we talk a lot about things like white privilege, whitesplaining, white fragility, etc. Some of the folks who read our site find it hard to understand these concepts, so it’s always helpful when we have an example that displays exactly what we mean. Today is one of those days. I would…
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Was Nicki Minaj’s SNL Performance Cultural Appropriation?
When Nicki Minaj took the stage to perform her hit song “Chun-Li” on the most recent episode of Saturday Night Live, “callout Twitter” rumbled with accusations of cultural appropriation and the fetishization of Asian culture. While some, including a few Asian Americans, accused the rapstress of using stereotypical Asian imagery as a costume, others defended…
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Snoop, Please Spare Us Your Rage About Trump, Mr. ‘Bitches Ain’t Shit’
Nigga, you? (In Nas’ “Ether” voice.) Ever since Snoop Dogg came forward with some very scathing public words for Kanye West, something has been stuck in my craw. Yes, it’s true, I’m a die-hard Kanye West fan, but this ain’t about him. Fuck him. Truth be told, I used to love Snoop with all my…
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‘Highly Offended’ White Teacher Kicked My 9-Year-Old Son Out of Class for Taking Knee During Pledge
When my 9-year-old son told me that he had been thrown out of his fourth-grade class for kneeling during the Pledge of Allegiance, I was mildly surprised by his actions, but furious with his teachers. Their instinctive responses were harsh reminders of how deeply white supremacy is embedded in the classroom. But more important for…
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Malcolm X Matters: Icon’s Words Still Ring True
As the #BlackLivesMatter movement continues to grow in strength like the perfect storm, the prescient words of Malcolm X (el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz) slice with laser-sharp precision through the rhetoric of politicians and pundits alike as if he still walked among us. He was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Neb., and he…
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#BlackMomMagic: District MotherHued Caters to Millennial Moms of Color in Nation’s 1st ‘Momference’
Even in the year of our Lord 2018, it is hard in these United States to find inclusive, welcoming spaces that actually feel that way if you’re a person of color. That’s why, often, if black people want to be represented in a space—whether it be hair, makeup, clothing (what is “nude”?), workspaces, you name…