culture
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With Lalah Hathaway Live, Singer Boldly Steps Into Her Father’s Legendary Legacy
It is no small thing to invite comparison between your own first live album and one of the greatest live albums ever made—even if the person who made that classic record is your father, and even if you are a Grammy Award-winning phenom in your own right. But such is the bright boldness of Lalah…
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Is ‘Nappy’ an Insult? … Hint: No, It’s Not
Last week The Root published “The Nappyheaded Black Male Revolution Is On”—a piece articulating my reasons for deciding to grow my hair out, and also tying this decision to a trend I’ve observed over the last couple of years, in which young black men seem to be experimenting with and embracing new hairstyles. The piece…
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It’s Time to Admit It: The Police Are Racist
While the Internet was once again awash in what seems like its semimonthly outrage over cellphone footage of a police officer abusing another unarmed person of color, the New York Times published a story that was far more frustrating and scream-about-able. Selecting Greensboro, N.C.—because of the state’s detailed traffic-stop data collection—the article documented a systemized…
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How to Grieve Over Black Celebrities’ Stupid Comments About Race and Racism
There are two quotes I cling to when it comes to responding to questionable commentary from members of my community. Of course, there is Zora Neale Hurston’s notorious declaration, “All my skinfolk ain’t kinfolk.” There is also my favorite auntie—and, more than likely, yours, too—who always throws out a “This n—ga here” when stupidity greets…
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If You Think They Don’t Want You on the Jury, You May Be Right
The issue of black participation on trial juries is one with multiple layers of complexity. As a civil rights trial attorney and former criminal prosecutor, I am always disappointed to see the myriad ways in which many in our community attempt to avoid their civic duty of participating in the criminal-justice system as jurors. Even…
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I Can’t Have an Orgasm; What’s Wrong With Me?
I’m 34 years old and I’ve never had an orgasm. I’m a healthy woman. I enjoy intimate relations. What’s wrong with me? —Diane W. There is probably nothing wrong with you! Having an orgasm is not as easy as one might think. One in 10 women have never had an orgasm through sexual intercourse, manual…
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Deposition Reveals Bobbi Kristina’s Alleged Drug Use During Final Days
A deposition taken this fall in a civil lawsuit filed against Bobbi Kristina Brown reveals troubling new details about her alleged drug use during her final days, according to the Washington Post. Danyela D. Bradley, who lived with the 21-year-old at her Atlanta townhouse, said in a Sept. 24, 2015, deposition that she believed Bobbi…
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More Than 100,000 Sign Petition to Remove Raven-Symoné From The View
In the latest update about Raven-Symoné, an online petition is calling for her removal from The View after she intimated last week that a high school student in Columbia, S.C., could have avoided being violently attacked by a school resource officer if she had simply gotten off her phone. “You are in school, get…
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Watch: Spike Lee, Grand Marshal of NYC Marathon, Makes Short Film About the City
Filmmaker Spike Lee has long been known for his love of New York City. So it was fitting that he became the first New Yorker to serve as grand marshal of Sunday’s New York City Marathon, according to CBS New York. “He was blown away by the fact that we asked him to do it,…
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Mini Pope at the White House and Other Kid Halloween Costumes That Were Everything
From the mini pope at the White House to President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, some kids’ Halloween costumes this year were downright cute and creative, knocking the traditional Cinderella and Batman getups straight out of the box. Here are a few costumes from around the Internet that will give you a chuckle,…