Here’s the thing about Beyoncé: She is legit one of the greatest entertainers of our time, if not the greatest. Fight me.

Perhaps the proper question is, can “transracial” mascot Rachel Dolezal do black hair? Well, she does, and has been doing so for a while; she acknowledged in her book, In Full Color, that she would do hair in college as a side hustle. That hustle has grown into a full-on kitchen-beautician business, and Dolezal is now…

The death of Stephon Clark does what many black men’s deaths at the hands of police do: rally the troops to protest why, for some strange reason, black lives seemingly don’t matter. There’s no way for us to think otherwise when Clark was shot down in less than seven seconds in his grandmother’s backyard.

There’s something so beautiful about the students-turned-activists who have emerged from the awful tragedy of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting. Instead of being victims, these kids became champions for human rights and gun control, reflected in the March for Our Lives on Saturday. They have been fully embraced by…

Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time is a fantastical journey. As we watch the star, Storm Reid (Meg), navigate an alternate universe in search of her father, we can’t help being in awe of her guides, the Mrs. These women—played by Oprah Winfrey (Mrs. Which), Reese Witherspoon (Mrs. Whatsit) and Mindy Kaling (Mrs.…

One of the major themes of A Wrinkle in Time is the darkness and how it can consume you if you let it. But all it takes is just a little bit of light and some belief in yourself to make it out of the dark.

I’ve always been taught that the first president of the United States of America had wooden teeth because his gums were not fertile ground for strong, pearly whites. It was just common knowledge. But recently, writer Michael Coard revealed something that’s widely unknown: Washington’s dentures were made not of wood…

It’s official: Black Panther is a blockbuster hit, and our feelings will never be done with this film. This movie has emotionally affected us all. While there are many melanated people who are swathed in pride because of Black Panther’s representation and all-out beauty, there are just as many (if not more)…

We all know it’s a white man’s world, but through our magic, women of color manage to make this world ours. From Black Panther being an ode to black women, to women of color taking over the 2018 Winter Games, it’s hard to deny the power of women right now.

The Black Panther character is more than the namesake of a movie that’s breaking the box office. He’s a culture. Marvel Comics has introduced the world to a diverse roster of superheroes since its launch in 1939, but the most notable has got to be Black Panther, who made his first appearance in Fantastic Four, Vol.…

Where is Wakanda? Who is T’Challa? Can a woman be Black Panther? I have so many questions about this comic book-turned-feature film, so I consulted with play cousins to The Root who are both staff writers for i09: Charles Pulliam-Moore and Evan Narcisse (who happens to be one of the brilliant writers of the Rise of…

This week, white people took their boldness to another level and delivered us a white version of what was said to be the true Queen Nefertiti. Expedition Unknown’s Josh Gates showed up to the Today show to share a bust he worked on with Egyptologist Aidan Dodson. And that’s exactly where things got awkward, you see,…

It’s Grammy Week here in New York City. I’ve RSVP’d for and attended about six events. Once the Grammys are over, I will be taking a nap until further notice. This girl is exhausted.


While many people may have heard Mo’Nique’s “cries” about the gender and color bias in Hollywood and rolled their eyes, there were others of us who wholeheartedly agreed with her. Inequality reigns supreme in Hollywood. It’s the reason Jessica Chastain helped Octavia Spencer negotiate a higher salary. It’s the reason …

If given the chance to shoot rapper-producer 50 Cent, what would you do? During press interviews for Den of Thieves, I asked 50 Cent and his co-stars, Gerard Butler, O’Shea Jackson and Pablo Schreiber, to show me their stellar acting skills.

If you know 50 Cent, chances are you know he has a reputation for being a bully. His online presence and in-person demeanor are both intimidating, but it’s the former that causes the most trouble. But to have 50 Cent tell it, he’s not a bully! It’s learned and mirrored behavior from the people who bully him. The…

First of all, the lies and fake news being spread from President Donald Trump have been dizzying. What’s up is down; what’s left is right.

The “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” ad featuring an adorable young black boy has certainly made its way into your feed this week. While it’s not surprising that racism has a casual place in advertising, it is surprising that people don’t understand the deep-rooted emotional racism attached to calling black people…

Taraji P. Henson is a stellar actress, but sadly, most people recognize her from Empire. Maybe they were under rocks for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Hustle & Flow, Hidden Figures, Baby Boy or any of the other silver screen hits in which she’s appeared..

The Last Dragon is a cult-classic film that features ridiculous stereotypes flipped on their head. We got to see Chinese men talking like they’re auditioning for the latest blaxploitation film, and Bruce Leroy himself adopt a quiet and quirky kung-fu-master attitude.