on the dig

Last September a Los Angeles police officer used his Taser to subdue an unruly and autistic 12 year old.  When Officer Vincent Arias walked into the Hawthorne California middle school the 5’7” boy was violently assaulting a security guard.  After a bout of kicking and cursing, the student decided to flee through an exit door…

So it looks like Chris Brown and Rihanna are back together.  A source tells People Magazine that the loving couple was seen together at Sean Combs’ mansion.  So, after the world was throwing daggers at Chris Brown for being a horrid, classic abusive black man, little Mz Rihanna was somewhere in Guyana, in between healing…

So it’s Friday.  I’m in the chill mode as I wait to see if travel plans to Cleveland pan out.  My play Wilberforce is running at Cleveland State University and I’m hoping to get there.  Excuse me as I digress in shameless self-promotion, but if you’re in Cleveland go and check it out.  Anyway, it’s…

Hollywood loves Black men, especially when they throw on a dress.  From Flip Wilson to Eddie Murphy to Jamie Foxx to Martin Lawrence to Tyler Perry, black entertainers have a history of pulling off the slacks and pulling up the pantyhose.  Over the last few weeks several of my intelligent, socially-savvy male friends have called…

This is a challenge!  I challenge every reader of TheRoot to go out and support the arts this week.  I challenge you to see a film at your nearby arthouse cinema, go to a gallery, search the papers for a play, and/or go to the symphony or museum.  And take people with you.  Find out…

So here’s the story:  During the 1850s Kentucky-born John Ballard moved to Agoura in the Santa Monica Mountains and set up house and trade.  He and his family joined the 60 other black residents of Los Angeles County which, then, only had a population of 4000.  Without question Ballard was a L.A. pioneer.   He survived…

I enjoyed the 81st Annual Oscars.  You know, for the most part. —I thought Hugh Jackman and the dance routines were funny, theatrical, and a nice change from the often-tiresome comedians who are usually not funny.  I won’t name names.  Okay, Jon Stewart. —I thought Viola Davis trying to hold back the tears as her…

The NY Post issued an apology for anyone who thought the cartoon was racist.  I don’t know about you, but the apology comes a bit too late.  It’s racist when a newspaper greenlights a depiction of cops shooting a dead chimp with a caption that reads “Someone’s Going to Have to Write the Next Stimulus…

New Yorkers are outraged this afternoon.  The New York Post published a cartoon depicting two NYPD white police officers shooting [to death] a black chimpanzee on a city sidewalk.  The caption above the cartoon reads:  They’ll Have to Find Someone Else to Write the Next Stimulus Bill.  Hey, I know the Republicans refused to support…

The 81st Oscar Awards will air Sunday and the heat is on.  Like usual, the “colored” component to the Oscars is low, but let’s illuminate what is there.  And, interestingly enough, there’s quite a few this time around.  There’s the Best Picture and Director nominee Slumdog Millionaire, the story about the Muslim children of Mumbai,…