culture
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Why I’ve Returned to the Black Salon When Folks Are Leaving in Droves
The long waits. The double-booking. The general “unprofessionalism.” The cost. I had a lot of reasons to give up on hair salons, specifically black ones, more than 10 years ago. In the early years of the recession, there was story after story of black salons struggling as more and more black women moved away from…
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Blues Legend B.B. King Dead at 89
B.B. King, the legendary singer-guitarist-composer who became one of the greatest success stories among African-American blues artists, died Thursday in Las Vegas. He was 89. His attorney, Brent Bryson, told the Associated Press that King died peacefully in his sleep at his home. It had recently been reported that King, who suffered from diabetes, was…
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What Happens to Black Women Who Boldly Speak Truth About Racial Inequality
Two remarkable black women made news this week. Michelle Obama, the most scrutinized African-American woman in the 21st century, did so by acknowledging unspoken truths about race, class and gender in public during a landmark commencement speech at Tuskegee University in Alabama. The other, Saida Grundy, a newly minted Ph.D. from Michigan scheduled to begin…
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Jameis Winston: A Good Player With a Bad Reputation
Most folks have made up their minds about quarterback Jameis Winston, having read and heard enough about misbehavior and alleged misdeeds by the Heisman Trophy winner from Florida State University. They have been inundated by reports of the silly stuff—stolen crab legs and soda, obscenities screamed in public, BB-gun battles—and the gravely serious matter of a sexual…
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Harry Belafonte on ‘Thugs,’ Capitalism and Women Controlling the Universe
On Wednesday night, approximately 1,000 community leaders and activists from around the country were able to “sit in circle” via telephone with legendary entertainer and civil rights activist Harry Belafonte for one hour as he shared his thoughts on the uprisings in Ferguson, Mo., and Baltimore, and the crippling poverty that victimizes too many communities…
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Tika Sumpter on Playing Queen Latifah’s Lover in Bessie
Since she initially gained notoriety as Layla Williamson on One Life to Live, then as the business-minded Raina Thorpe on Gossip Girl and model Jenna Rice on The Game, Tika Sumpter’s career has steadily been on the rise. Thanks to the role of the messy Candace Young on Tyler Perry’s The Haves and the Have…
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A Scandal Writer’s Journey to ShondaLand
Before we head into the season 4 finale of Scandal, The Root sat down with Scandal writer Raamla Mohamed to talk about how she began her TV writing career, what it’s like working with Shonda Rhimes and her thoughts on the importance of diversity in TV writing. I was introduced to Mohamed by a mutual friend when I moved to Los Angeles from…
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Brittney Griner, Glory Johnson and How We Ignore Domestic Violence in the LGBTQ Community
I have followed WNBA phenom Brittney Griner’s career since she was in high school. As a black, queer, femme girl, I was deeply drawn to the way she moved across the court with equal parts deft self-assurance and deadly skill. Her sartorial swagger was, and still is, beautiful to witness, and while I—and all of…
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He’s Not That Into You Because Your Moms Are All Up in Your Business
My mom and her good friend since childhood had the idea to set me up with the friend’s son. I initially reached out to him in a friendly manner, and we had a nice conversation via text. However, I was hesitant and kept the convo very light because I thought having an attraction to him…
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The Billionaire Dropout Is a Myth; Don’t Buy It
Gates, Zuckerberg, Jobs. We know and venerate their stories: the supersmart who didn’t need a college credential to become superwealthy. There’s no denying that their genius is worth celebrating, and their achievements have undeniably advanced society. But as politicians and pundits increasingly question whether education beyond high school is “worth it,” the dropout-turned-billionaire has become…