culture
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An Open Letter to White People Who Are Upset Because Black Panther Is So Racist
Dear Chads and Beckys, I admit that I have been reluctant to write this letter. It has nothing to do with my dislike for you or your people. In fact, some of my best friends are white. Well … one of my best friends is white. OK, I’ll be honest, all of my best friends…
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Black Panther Is Finally Here; Before You ‘All Hail the King,’ Here’s Some Background
Let’s face it: This, to quote former Veep Joe Biden, is a big effin’ deal. Black Panther, the motion picture, is by all accounts a watershed event soon to be upon us, starting Thursday night with early screenings. He is the very first mainstream black superhero ever to appear in and receive his own comic…
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Watch: Here’s an Exclusive Clip From Atlanta’s ‘Robbin’ Season’
Atlanta is back Thursday, March 1, on FX. We were all reeling from excitement and wanted more when the new trailer for the show dropped recently; luckily, The Root has an exclusive clip in celebration of the highly awaited second season! With an innocent and almost chilling cover of Rae Sremmurd’s hit “No Type,” this…
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The Other Black Wall Streets
On June 1, 1921, white rioters looted and burned the all-black Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, Okla., known as Black Wall Street. Angry at the economic success of blacks in the area (which became known as “Black Wall Street” because of the number of successful businesses and wealthy black inhabitants), white Tulsans accused a black man…
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Why Black People Are Always Bringing Up Old Stuff, Explained
Hey, bruh, I’m back again for our weekly explainer. I thought we might talk about Black History Month this time. Sure! I always enjoy our talks. In 1915, black Harvard historian Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History with minister Jesse Moorland. So … Because haters gonna hate,…
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HBO’s Documentary King in the Wilderness Is a Chilling Portrait of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Final 18 Months on Earth
“Everything you thought you knew about Martin Luther King Jr. is wrong,” says Trey Ellis, producer of the upcoming HBO documentary on King’s final 18 months of life, titled King in the Wilderness. The title of the documentary, which premiered at Sundance, is fitting considering that the civil rights activist’s final chapter found him dealing with…
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Universal Music’s VP of Urban Catalog Andre Torres Talks New Editorial Platform, Urban Legends
Andre Torres is a vinyl and hip-hop head, who’s also a veteran of music journalism. With over two decades in the trenches, Torres, who founded Wax Poetics magazine and was also executive editor at the lyrics site Genius, is now vice president of the urban catalog at Universal Music Enterprises. And in his new role,…
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Tell Them We Are Rising Brings the 1st Documentary on Our Nation’s HBCUs to PBS
Filmmaker Stanley Nelson, who brought the story of a revolution to the screen with The Black Panthers: Vanguard of a Revolution, has once again encapsulated an enormous piece of black history with the first documentary that focuses on the history of our nation’s HBCUs. Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and…
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’90s Group Portrait Talks Comeback, Premieres New Single in Time for Valentine’s Day
In the early ’90s, R&B group Portrait held it down with the likes of Shai, Silk, SWV and Jodeci with their hit singles “Here We Go Again” and “Honey Dip,” as well as their soulful cover of the top Bee Gees hit “How Deep Is Your Love.” Now they are back, better than ever, with…