culture
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NYPD Officer Claims Macy’s Racially Profiled Her
Jenny Mendez was taking advantage of Black Friday sales last year like every other American, when she was arrested for shoplifting after a Macy’s security officer lied and said she confessed to the crime, the Huffington Post reports. Mendez, 29, claims that Macy’s employees racially profiled her, leading to the accusations of theft that ultimately…
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Barneys Report Contests Racial-Profiling Accusations
A new report commissioned by Barneys distances the store from the New York Police Department frisks that have both the business and the police force reeling from accusations of racial discrimination, the Associated Press reports. According to the review, the store did not have a “written or unwritten” policy to profile its customers of color…
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Death Row Inmate Denied Appeal Despite Racial Bias
In 1997, Duane Buck was convicted of capitol murder for killing his ex-girlfriend and a man in her Houston apartment. During the punishment phase of Buck’s trial, a psychologist testified that black people were more likely to commit violence. The jury then sentenced Buck to death, the Associated Press reports. In 2000, three years after Buck’s…
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Outgunned: Reducing Violence With Economic Opportunity
Editor’s note: Read part 1, part 2 and part 3 of the series. Chicago. New Orleans. Detroit. All of these cities are frequently cited as epicenters of gun violence, with stories about neighborhood shootings regularly appearing on our nightly news. But rarely will news coverage offer the full context for inner-city violence: In particular, these cities are among…
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What’s in a (Black) Name? An Interview With Searching for Shaniqua Director Phill Branch
The blogosphere has been on fire over a story about Kylie Austin, a biracial teen who changed her name from Keisha to Kylie because she was frustrated with being taunted about her “black” name by her mostly white peers. And there’s a new film on the way that takes this issue head-on. There have been…
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Chicago Violence: Mom Still Mourns Heaven
Editor’s note: For the past two weeks, The Root and the NAACP have partnered to present a series of reports on gun violence, its causes and potential solutions. To highlight the urgent nature of the problem, The Root is updating cases we have previously reported, including this Chicago story from 2012. A few days from…
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Get a Clue: If He’s Not Calling Back, He’s Not Into You
“I’m interested in a guy, but he’s inconsistent in calling and texting me. Usually when I call or text, I don’t get a response, but then I’ll see that he’s using social media. I take that to mean he has the time but he’s not using it to stay in touch. That means he’s not…
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NYPD Data: Majority of Shooting Suspects in 1st Half of 2013 Were Black
As a black person, you are 25 times more likely to be shot in New York City, and also more likely to be arrested for pulling a trigger, than a white person, the city’s Police Department statistics show. Of the 567 shooting victims in the first half of 2013, 74 percent were black, 21.5 percent…
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Ebony Magazine and the Grio Sponsor a Makeover for Rachel Jeantel
After dealing with the trial of George Zimmerman, charged with the murder of her best friend, Trayvon Martin, and facing an onslaught of criticism (and some praise), Rachel Jeantel is getting a makeover, compliments of Ebony Magazine and the Grio. According to the Huffington Post, the teen is looking forward to entering the next stage…
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Watch This: Michelle Obama Talks Education and Worst Outfit on 106th and Park
Pretty sure the first lady’s appearance last night on 106th and Park marks the first time a member of the presidential family guested on the video talk show. Making the rounds to push President Obama’s “North Star” Goal—that by the year 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the…