culture
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Brooklyn Nets May Make Jason Collins 1st Openly Gay Player
The Brooklyn Nets worked out center Jason Collins, and if the Nets sign the big man, he would become the first openly gay NBA player, the Associated Press reports. The Nets are in the market for a center since trading Reggie Evans along with Jason Terry to Sacramento on Wednesday for guard Marcus Thornton. General…
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Police Have Video of Baltimore Ravens Ray Rice Knocking Girlfriend Unconscious
A police complaint seen by the Associated Press alleges that Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice knocked his fiancee unconscious during an argument at an Atlantic City casino, and there is video to prove it. According to Sports Illustrated.com, police have video evidence that shows Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice knocking his fiancee unconscious.…
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Black Juror in Dunn Trial: It Was Never About Race
A second juror from the Michael Dunn trial has broken her silence, and she reiterated the belief, first expressed by juror No. 4, that race didn’t play a role in the case, Mediaite reports. Juror No. 8, an African American, told CNN in an exclusive interview that it was never about race for her; it…
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Texas Police Retract Claim That Woman Was Armed When Officer Killed Her
A family in Texas is left wondering why a relative was killed, now that officers have retracted a claim that she had a gun when a sheriff’s deputy fatally shot her on Sunday, the Raw Story reports. In an earlier statement over the weekend, the Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office said that it had responded to a…
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Wal-Mart Looking at Supporting a Federal Minimum Wage Hike
Wal-Mart is exploring whether to support an increase in the federal minimum wage, especially since it could increase the company’s profits, the National Journal reports. David Tovar, a spokesman for the retailer, told Bloomberg on Wednesday that the company was “looking at” supporting the increase. “Whenever there’s debates,” he said, “it’s not like we look…
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American Blackness Is Global Blackness
I was in the fifth grade when I cried over Tupac getting killed, and in the sixth when the list of Black Panther demands—food, shelter, clothing—first went up on my bedroom wall. Never mind that I had all three in abundance growing up in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, or that it would be several summers before…
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Jahi McMath is ‘Much Better,’ Mom Says
Jahi McMath, the 13-year-old Oakland, Calif., girl who was declared brain-dead back in December, is apparently doing much better, her mother, Nailah Winkfield, wrote in a letter released Wednesday on Twitter, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The lengthy letter, which was also posted on a Facebook support group for the girl, thanks supporters while…
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Must Watch: Brian Williams Does ‘Rapper’s Delight’
On Wednesday, Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon’s audience was treated to a mashup of NBC News’ Brian Williams and Lester Holt performing the old-school hip-hop track “Rapper’s Delight,” originally performed by the Sugarhill Gang in 1979. Kudos to whoever edited this masterpiece. Watch:
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Ex-NFL Player Darren Sharper to Be Arraigned
Former NFL player Darren Sharper is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday in Los Angeles following allegations that he drugged and raped at least seven women in four states, the Los Angeles Times reports. The 38-year-old was charged last week on seven drug and rape counts involving four women he allegedly met at a West…
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LeBron James Writes Thank-You Letter to His Absentee Father
On Wednesday evening, NBA All-Star LeBron James posted an interesting letter on Instagram thanking his deadbeat dad—for not being there. “Because of you Pops! Thanks all along. Could have said why me with u not being there but look what I made of myself. Thanks to Huffington Post for the graphic. #StriveForGreatness,” he captioned the photo. James…