culture
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Before Social Media, Black Celebs Could Avoid the Ray Rice Treatment
Everyone wants to forgive the favorite child, the prodigal son, the hometown hero. It’s why, despite the overwhelming evidence, suspended Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice still has his online defenders. It’s why it took a video on TMZ to get the NFL to do the right thing. The mindset? Everyone knows who he is, but…
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Chicago Police Commander Sued for Allegedly Putting Gun in Man’s Mouth
A Chicago police commander has come under intense scrutiny after a lawsuit was filed against him for allegedly putting his gun into a young man’s mouth, the Chicago Tribune reports. According to the lawsuit, as reported by the Tribune, in January 2013 Cmdr. Glenn Evans pulled up at a bus stop and began staring at…
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Experts Fear Boko Haram Will Split Nigeria in 2
Boko Haram insurgents—the jihadist terrorist group in Nigeria that gained international notoriety for abducting more than 200 schoolgirls in April—is gaining ground in Nigeria. They’re hoping to establish an Islamic state in the regions that they’ve captured, much as ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) is trying to do in Syria and Iraq.…
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World Leaders Beg Nations to Legalize Drug Use and Regulate Its Production
American liberals who have been imploring policymakers to put a stop to the nation’s war on drugs should be happy to know that several world leaders have backed a new report advocating for the same thing on a global level. The report, “Take Control: Pathway to Drug Policies That Work,” argues that nations should consider…
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Ta-Nehisi Coates Tops The Root 100 List of Black Influencers
Who are today’s standout black leaders, innovators and culture shapers? Who are the most influential African Americans 45 and under? To answer these tough questions, The Root looked back at the year’s most significant moments and themes and asked, “Who made this happen?” As we have each year since 2009, we scrutinized the more than 500…
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Ray Rice Breaks Silence, Says He Has to Be Strong for His Wife
Ray Rice broke his silence Tuesday for the first time following his indefinite suspension by the Baltimore Ravens and the NFL, telling an ESPN reporter that his main objective at the moment was to be strong for his wife, Janay, and his family. “I have to be strong for my wife. She is so strong. ……
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I Don’t Know Janay Rice’s Whole Story, but I Understand
I don’t pretend to know Janay Rice’s story. And I don’t claim to know everything there is to know about her marriage to Ray Rice—or what was going on in her head and in her heart when she hit “share” on the Instagram message that went public Tuesday morning. I do, however, understand her plea…
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Ray Rice Dumped by Nike and EA Sports
Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice’s fall did not take long. Following his termination from the Ravens and his indefinite suspension from the NFL, marketers and sponsors have begun to wash their hands of the player, who was seen on video punching his then-fiancee, Janay Palmer, out cold in an elevator. One Fox Sports…
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NY Man Drowns While Saving Child From Hudson River
A 40-year-old New York man gave his life saving a small child from the Hudson River, the New York Post reports. According to the report, Boyce “Scoop” Coleman was at a barbecue at the riverside in Yonkers when he heard that a child was in the water. The heroic man jumped “ … over the…
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Fashion Week Event Kicks Off The Root Live: Bring It to the Table
The Root is kicking off a new season of The Root Live: Bring It to the Table in high style. The 16-week video series, sponsored by Prudential, which explores financial issues in the African-American community, premieres Wednesday, Sept. 10, with a star-studded Fashion Week event. Designer Byron Lars of Byron Lars Beauty Mark is joined by…