culture

Another day, and another racist blackface Halloween incident. This one might have never been discovered had the Utah Jazz not tweeted out the photo, according to USA Today. That’s right, the official Utah Jazz twitter account retweeted a fan photo in which two white guys set out to re-create a vintage Karl Malone and John…

Penn State will pay 26 sexual-abuse victims of Jerry Sandusky, the former assistant football coach, approximately $59.7 million for an end to their claims against the university, the New York Times reports. The settlement is “another step forward in the healing process for those hurt by Mr. Sandusky, and another step forward for Penn State,”…

12 Years a Slave differs from traditional black slave films in featuring nuanced black voices, Wesley Morris observes in Grantland. It’s one of the first slave films to discredit the idea that “black stories are nothing without a white voice to tell them that black people can’t live without the aid of white ones,”  Morris writes.  It’s…

(The Root) — Once upon a time, a crazed radio host called a team of basketball-playing black women “nappy-headed hos.” When confronted about his racism, he blamed hip-hop. Then suddenly everyone was talking about rappers dropping n-bombs and calling women “hos,” and Oprah finally addressed hip-hop in a two-part special on why hip-hop sucks. And…

The New York attorney general wants to know what really happened at Attica some 40 years ago when inmates took over the prison and state troopers and guards took it back, the Associated Press reports. During a five-day standoff at the prison in September 1971, more than 35 prisoners and hostages were killed. Attorney General Eric…

A lifelike hanging man intended to frighten trick-or-treaters has some Riverside, Calif., residents screaming racism, NBC Los Angeles reports. The hanging “man” made from PVC piping and chicken wire not only dangles from a noose but is made to kick and struggle while groans come from an embed stereo. It’s definitely frightening, but is it…

Conrad Murray, the doctor convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the death of pop star Michael Jackson, has been released from prison after serving only two years of his four-year sentence, ABC News reports. Murray’s lawyer told ABC News that the former cardiologist was being released for credit for time served; he received an additional day of credit…

The Rev. Al Sharpton has put his shopping at Barneys on hold, threatening a boycott against the luxury retail store. He also says that Jay Z is not the enemy, the New York Post reports. Sharpton, who spoke to reporters at his National Action Network headquarters, said that a meeting is planned with Barneys executives and…