lists

In October, when an amicable end to the NBA lockout looked unlikely at best, Bryant Gumbel made headlines for criticizing the league’s intransigence during negotiations. In a controversial commentary, he accused NBA Commissioner David Stern of acting like a modern-day plantation owner and “treating NBA men as if they were his boys.” Gumbel was roundly…

There’s a lot more to being a DJ than rockin’ a crowd on the dance floor. You have to scour the flea markets for hard-to-get vinyl, keep up-to-date on new releases, put together signature mixes and somehow establish your own recognizable brand. There’s also, says veteran DJ Beverly Bond, the delicate task — particularly if…

Who are the young trailblazers in your community? The Root wants to know. We’re putting the spotlight on the young African-Americans leaders and innovators of the future, and we want your help. The Root is now accepting nominations for The Root 2012 Young Futurists list, to be unveiled in February. Young Futurists are between the…

In his senior year of high school, Rashad Robinson organized a protest. It was, says this veteran connoisseur of protest, a “very successful” one. A drugstore in his hometown of Riverhead, N.Y., had decided that it would not serve high school students during school hours. The policy, Robinson says now, was a clear example of…

The 2011 honorees of The Root 100 were celebrated Saturday night at an elegant, upbeat dinner and dance party at Washington, D.C.’s Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium. Gathered were elected officials, activists, entertainers, media professionals and authors, all renewing acquaintances, comparing notes, telling stories and basking in the momentary recognition of being America’s most influential young…

Beyoncé and Michelle Alexander: a pop superstar and a law professor. Kanye West and David Adjaye: a hip-hop icon and a “starchitect.” Tyra Banks and Touré: a supermodel-turned-entrepreneur and a political pundit who wants to redefine blackness. Welcome to the fascinating world of The Root 100, where the unusual juxtapositions are not accidental. They reflect…

For 2011 The Root set out to identify the most influential African Americans between 25 and 45 years of age. We defined influence broadly to include anyone who is shaping our daily conversations with work that matters. To identify and rank The Root 100, we developed a formula that defines influence as the marriage of…