culture

Mathew Knowles, Beyoncé’s father and former manager, married Gena Charmaine Avery in Houston last Sunday, his representative told the Associated Press. The couple had been engaged for about a year and a half. Knowles and Beyoncé’s mother, Tina, divorced in 2011 after 31 years of marriage. The 48-year-old Avery is a realtor. The 61-year-old Knowles guided his…

When Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Friday signed a harsh and restrictive abortion measure into law, he set the stage for a court battle with pro-choice groups, MSNBC reports. The new law would require doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at hospitals within 30 miles of where a procedure is done and mandates…

The Daily News is reporting that the head of a polygamous sect was given two life sentences on Friday for the murders of a 4-year-old boy and one of his five wives, who tried to escape his cult. Prosecutors in Durham, N.C., found Peter Moses Jr. responsible for the shooting deaths of little Jadon Higganbothan…

Say what? A Canadian teen whose studio name is WondaGurl has been credited as a producer on “Crown,” a track on Jay-Z’s new album, Magna Carta Holy Grail, according to Jezebel. Ebony Oshunrinde, who just finished the 11th grade, has an inspiring story. Earlier this year, she sent the beat to a friend, a young…

In examining media coverage of Nelson Mandela’s illness through the eyes of his eldest daughter, the Independent‘s Minna Salami concludes that race and matters of ethics are not as separate as they seem. People have repeatedly disrespected him by reporting his early demise, she says, because he is African. In an interview on South African…

(The Root) — “Creepy-ass cracker.” These words have been on my mind since Rachel Jeantel spoke them on the witness stand in the trial of George Zimmerman. As a prosecution witness, Jeantel testified that shortly before Zimmerman killed Trayvon Martin, her friend told her by phone that some “creepy-ass cracker” was following him. Her appearance…

With the economy on a steady but slow increase and employers now paying minimum-wage employees in pre-paid debit cards, banking fees can drain your account — especially if you don’t have sufficient funds. So how to rectify this problem? Writing for Slate, Matthew Yglesias suggests an alternate banking system that could move us into the future and allows for…

Brittney Cooper tackles racism, weightism and stereotypes in a gut-wrenching blog post at Salon. During a flight home over the holiday, the woman seated next to her was still texting — rapidly — after the call had gone out to turn off cellphones. Cooper glanced over and caught the last few words of the text: “On the…

He loves the Fourth of July, writes The Root contributor Edward Wyckoff Williams in a blog post at Salon, but what is independence if full freedom still doesn’t exist for everyone in this nation? Comedian Chris Rock sparked a debate a year ago today, when he tweeted: “Happy white people’s independence day! The slaves weren’t free…

(The Root) — When I heard the news that morning, it whacked me in the chest like the kickback of a sudden and screeching stop. On Wednesday, June 26, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the Defense of Marriage Act. No longer would a legally married, same-sex couple be denied federal benefits…