culture
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‘Anti-Semitic’ Tweets or Not, Comedy Central Will Stand by Trevor Noah
Given the speed at which modern news operates, it’s a miracle that anybody ever gets to have any fun. No sooner had Comedy Central announced that biracial South African standup comedian Trevor Noah would be taking over The Daily Show after Jon Stewart than the social media vetting began. First with the ubiquitous “Who is Trevor Noah?”…
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Celebrating Pioneering Black Trans Women
Thanks to the groundbreaking work of Emmy-nominated actress Laverne Cox and cultural critic and author Janet Mock (both The Root 100 honorees), the stigma and ignorance surrounding both the exterior and interior lives of trans women is slowly being chipped away. The work of such organizations as the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and the Trans…
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Poll: Who Should Play Dorothy in the TV Version of The Wiz?
When we think of “Home” we think of Stephanie Mills in her iconic performance as Dorothy in the original 1974 production of The Wiz on Broadway. Diana Ross took over the role in the 1978 film version alongside Michael Jackson, who gave an unforgettable performance as the Scarecrow. Now NBC is launching a live television…
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5 Things You Should Know About Trevor Noah
When Comedy Central announced Monday that South African comedian Trevor Noah would replace Jon Stewart as the next host of The Daily Show, the collective response around the country seemed to be “Trevor who?” After all, the 31-year-old comic only joined the show as a regular correspondent in December and has appeared three times since.…
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Dear Racists: We Don’t Owe You Our Forgiveness
Last week Levi Pettit, one of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon balladeers who was busted singing a rousing number about anti-black terrorism, held a press conference during which he made a public relations statement disguised as an apology. The sheer ridiculousness of the optics quickly made the spectacle go viral. Oklahoma state Sen. Anastasia Pittman, chair…
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Celebrating 75 Years of John Lewis in Atlanta
“If there were no airplanes, I would have walked across America to be here tonight to sing the praise song to John Lewis,” began Alfre Woodard, the night’s first speaker for the “Portraits of John Lewis: Celebrating the 75th Birthday” festivities at the Tabernacle in Atlanta Saturday. “I wouldn’t have even caught a ride in…
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Tamar Braxton Plays the Saddest Song on a Muppet Piano
I felt like Tamar Braxton’s sister and reality-show archnemesis, Towanda Braxton, while watching the youngest Braxton and co-host of The Real shed tears after complaining how hurtful it is to be compared to a character from The Muppets. Tamar was boo-hooing over two people—Chris Brown and K. Michelle—she opted out of naming for insulting her…
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How Booty Worship Is Killing Black Women
Like many sisters, Wykesha Reid looked in her mirror and longed for a bigger butt. Nature had carved her curves, but she thought that enhancing what she’d already been gifted with would make her even more attractive. Her family says she visited a salon in Dallas for a first, then a second and then a…
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Michelle Obama Delivers Inspiring Speech at Black Girls Rock! Event
Less than 24 hours after attending the 2015 Black Girls Rock! event at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, I’m still in awe of the tremendous inspiration and sisterhood that filled the room. The star-studded event, which occurred against the backdrop of Women’s History Month, was co-hosted by actresses Tracee Ellis Ross and…
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Watch: Destiny’s Child Reunites for Surprise Gospel Performance in Vegas
In a long-awaited move for fans of Destiny’s Child, the group reunited for a brief performance Saturday night at the 2015 Stellar Gospel Awards at Las Vegas’ Orleans Arena, according to the New York Daily News. Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland teamed up with Stellar Award nominee Michelle Williams on the song “Say Yes.” The single…