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15 Black Military Heroes Through the Years
Crispus Attucks: The former slave was the first casualty of the American Revolutionary War when he was killed during the Boston Massacre. In 1888 the Crispus Attucks monument was unveiled in the Boston Common. Lemuel Haynes: He served as a minuteman during the American Revolutionary War, fighting at the April 1775 Battle of Lexington. He…
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10 Hot Jazz and R&B Releases to Check Out
Soul Street date: Jan. 31 One of the finest trumpeters and composers on the scene today delivers a scintillating album in which the title says it all. Not only is it soulful, but the album’s improvisational zeal, provided by saxophonist JD Allen, pianist Danny Grissett and others, is superb. Choice songs: “The Ballad of Ichabod…
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17 Stars Who Shouldn't Quit Their Day Jobs
Michael Arceneaux hails from Houston, lives in Harlem and praises Beyoncé’s name wherever he goes. Follow him on Twitter. As most can imagine, not everyone swooned over Rose singing about the burdens of quasi-celebrity on her debut single, “Fame.” However, that hasn’t stopped the model and TV personality (otherwise known as rap’s most famous girlfriend) from making…
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'Roots' Cast: Then and Now
When ABC first aired Roots, the 1977 miniseries based on the best-selling novel by Alex Haley, the network worried no one would watch. Instead, the eight-night epic became one of the most watched dramas in history. Nearly 100 million viewers, about half the country at the time, saw the final episode. The impact on the…
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Black Movies on Display at Sundance
This year’s Sundance Film Festival offers fewer black films and filmmakers than last year, but the star power is in the house. Spike Lee, Chris Rock, Common, Rashida Jones and Ice-T all have movies showing there. The festival begins Jan. 19 and runs through the end of the month. The Root takes a look at…
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How Well Do You Really Know Ron Paul?
With views that lean more libertarian than textbook conservative, Ron Paul swept the youth vote in the 2012 Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, placing third in both contests. And despite his conservative platform and the existence of newsletters containing racist statements that went out under his name decades ago, the Texas congressman’s stands against…
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'Juice': Where Are They Now?
Other than aiding his friends in a record-store heist — schmoozing the light-skinned, gold-tooth-wearing front-desk cashier while his friends used their five-finger discount for a few albums — Q (best line: “Man, you know what your problem is? You got no juice”) was the most levelheaded of the group. He was an aspiring DJ and…
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In Their Words: MLK's Legacy
“[On MLK Day, I plan to] take the time out to review some of the historical documents that Dr. Martin Luther King wrote and presented so I can continue to remember what he has done for where we are today.” “[King represents] hope. Hope for a better future. That’s what I strive for and teach…
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Images of MLK, the Man
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., lying in a hospital bed after having been stabbed in a Harlem, N.Y., department store in 1958. King at the airport with his wife, Coretta, and children, Yolanda and Martin III, after being freed from prison, Oct. 27, 1960, in Chamblee, Ga. Here, King is shown in 1960 pulling up…
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New Year's Resolutions for Obama
With a new year comes a fresh start, and the chance to learn from past mistakes. As his first term in office winds to a close, here are some changes for 2012 that we suggest President Obama check off his list. Get the unemployment rate down to 8 percent: Analysts often reference this factoid: No…