culture
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Some People Will Never Forgive R. Kelly
(The Root) — R. Kelly performed at the BET Awards on Sunday, offering viewers a nostalgic medley of his greatest hits. The audience in the Staples Center in Los Angeles practically swooned as he sang verses from his impressive catalog of hits, including “I Wish,” “Ignition” and “Seems Like You’re Ready.” At times, Kellz held…
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Texas Lawmakers Reconvene for Round 2 on Abortion Fight
Contending that too many voters stand against a GOP measure that would ban most abortion clinics in Texas, Cecile Richards, Planned Parenthood’s president, writes at the Huffington Post that Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s last-ditch effort to revive the measure in special session will not work, especially after state Sen. Wendy Davis’ famous filibuster. The Texas…
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Portraying Difference in 18th-Century Brazil
(The Root) — This image is part of a weekly series that The Root is presenting in conjunction with the Image of the Black in Western Art Archive at Harvard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research. Depicted approximately life-size, a nearly naked young black man stands before a curving dirt…
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Should Blacks Celebrate Independence Day?
Arguing that he is “one generation removed from the ugliness of legal oppression in America,” Maryland pastor William H. Lamar IV writes at the Huffington Post that African Americans should not celebrate the Fourth of July, which was adopted when our ancestors were still enslaved. The government and the corporate media celebrate as patriots those…
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The Supreme Court Thinks Racism Is Dead
The Guardian‘s Gary Younge breaks down why the Supreme Court was wrong to assume that racism is a nonissue in striking down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. He cites Paula Deen’s public relations debacle over her use of the n-word and George Zimmerman’s second-degree-murder trial as grievous examples of today’s racial climate.…
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Former Congressman William Gray Dead at 71
Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and Philadelphia minister William Herbert Gray III has died at age 71, NBC10 News in Philadelphia reports. Gray was attending the Wimbledon tennis tournament in London when, according to a family spokesman, he died from natural causes. Born in Baton Rouge, La., Gray graduated from Simon Gratz…
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CNN 'N Word' Special? Deen's Accuser Says Lawsuit Was Never About the Slur
With “The N Word,” a special hosted by Don Lemon, CNN dedicated a good chunk of Monday-night programming to the word “n—ger”: who says it, what it means, how it compares to “cracker” and more. The discussion was apparently inspired in part by — and focused heavily on — the recent allegations of racism against…
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Sex Suits Against Kevin Clash Dismissed
On Monday, a judge in New York City threw out three sensational lawsuits against Kevin Clash, the longtime voice of beloved Sesame Street character Elmo, according to the Daily News. In the suits, Clash, 53, had been accused of preying on underage boys. He resigned from the show last year after the scandal erupted. The…
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Sentenced to Death Because He's Black?
(The Root) — Duane Buck may soon be facing execution in Houston’s Harris County, even though his death sentence is the clear product of racial discrimination. Now a petition has been launched at Change.org to win a new sentencing hearing for him. The jury was told that Mr. Buck was more likely to pose a…
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Top Moments From the BET Awards
Did you watch the BET Awards show last night? If so, you know there were a lot of memorable moments at the Staples Center in Los Angeles that are worth chatting about. The Associated Press lists five, including Charlie Wilson’s red coat. Kendrick Lamar and Miguel. Nicki Minaj’s chair. And where was Chris Tucker? CHARLIE WILSON:…