culture
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Oprah’s Network to Produce Michael Sam Docuseries
Michael Sam has to be the most celebrated seventh-round pick never to have played a single NFL game. As the first openly gay NFL player, Sam has signed an endorsement deal with Visa; his jersey sales have been second only to Johnny Manziel, aka Johnny Football; and now the Oprah Winfrey Network will be chronicling…
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Mother and Sons Earn College Degrees in the Same Week
Talk about a triple play: The Williams family of Chicago, a mother and two of her sons, all received their bachelor’s degrees during commencement ceremonies this week. Aaron Williams and his mother, Tonya Williams both received bachelor’s degrees from Chicago State University Thursday, while brother and son Evan Williams graduated from Eastern Illinois University earlier…
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Brown v. Board: With Resegregation, the Struggle Continues
This Saturday, May 17, marks the 60th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision that formally outlawed racial segregation in public schools. The case was heralded then, as it is now, as a watershed moment in American history. The culmination of a decadeslong and painfully tedious NAACP strategy masterminded by unsung…
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When Racism Slips Into Everyday Speech
A recent NPR story revealed the disturbing and shockingly racist origins of the catchy jingle played from ice cream trucks around the country. What else are we hearing—or saying—that we should know more about? These seemingly innocuous terms have questionable origins or histories related to race, and there’s probably plenty more where they came from. 1. “The…
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Who Is Dean Baquet? 6 Facts About the New York Times’ 1st Black Executive Editor
When it was announced earlier on Wednesday that Dean Baquet would step in to replace New York Times Executive Editor Jill Abramson, becoming the paper’s first black executive editor, the Times’publisher declared, “There is no journalist in our newsroom or elsewhere better qualified to take on the responsibilities of executive editor at this time.” So,…
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Dean Baquet Named 1st African-American Executive Editor at the New York Times
Dean Baquet will become the first African-American executive editor at the New York Times, replacing Jill Abramson, who leaves the top position unexpectedly. The news apparently stunned New York Times staffers, who did not see this move coming. On Wednesday Arthur Sulzberger Jr., publisher of the New York Times and chairman of the New York…
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Man Who Planned to Kill President Obama Sentenced to Death
In 2011 a South Dakota man stabbed a 75-year-old woman and stole her car. His plan was to drive to Washington, D.C., and kill President Barack Obama. James McVay made it as far as Madison, Wis., before police stopped and arrested him. On Tuesday a judge agreed with a jury’s unanimous vote to sentence the…
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Watch: Fla. Officer Kicks Handcuffed Teen Who Disobeyed Bus Driver
Someone on the school bus had sprayed perfume, irritating Kevens Jean Baptiste, who has asthma, so he opened the windows. The bus driver gave the order to keep the windows closed, and he refused. That led to Kevens being handcuffed and kicked by Florida police, as cellphone footage taken by a friend apparently shows, NBC…
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New Donald Sterling Rant Leaked: Claims V. Stiviano Is the Real Racist
The Donald Sterling tapes just won’t stop. Maybe he should stop speaking to anyone who isn’t his lawyer? At any rate, the Daily Mail received new recordings of the embattled Los Angeles Clippers owner allegedly speaking to his friend, black hip-hop artist Maserati, who leaked the conversation. According to the news site, the artist did…
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Michael Sam’s Jersey 2nd-Highest Seller Among Rookies
Michael Sam announced that he is gay shortly before the NFL combines—a series of tests used by NFL scouts to gauge a player’s strengths and weaknesses. Some believe the prospect of becoming the first openly gay NFL player may have affected Sam’s workout, since he didn’t run as fast or jump as high as many…