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Helena Andrews is a contributing editor at The Root and author of Bitch Is the New Black, a memoir in essays. Follow her on Twitter. What is a socialite, exactly? “The word meant rich, and maybe a little racy,” according to David Patrick Columbia’s website New York Social Diary. “It meant play not work in what was essentially a Puritanical…

How do you tell the entire story of the black experience in America? Life Upon These Shores: Looking at African American History, 1513-2008, by The Root’s editor-in-chief, Henry Louis Gates Jr., dares to capture its scope and breadth, from the era of 16th-century conquistadors to ascendance of 21st-century politicians. This exclusive slideshow includes a fraction…

Larry Bellinger posted this photo of his kids with Santa, circa 1992. “The ‘kids’ are now 25 and 26!” Reader Pamela Joseph writes, “This photo was taken for our family Christmas card a few years ago. It captures our kids as they look every Christmas Eve in their PJs waiting on Santa.” Rhonda and Thomas…

If you want to see what’s hot on black Twitter, check out The Chatterati.Akoto Ofori-Atta is the editor of The Grapevine. Like her Facebook page and follow her on Twitter.  How do you tell the entire story of the black experience in America? Life Upon These Shores: Looking at African American History, 1513-2008, by The…

Lauren is a former Deputy Editor of The Root. Let’s Not Forget Amanda Knox’s Lie, Oct. 16, 2011: As the mainstream media reported that Italy’s most notorious foreign student-turned-accused murderer had won her appeal, writer Phillip W.d. Martin reminded The Root’s readers of an interesting fact: that Knox had initially pinned her roommate’s murder on…

African-American handicraft traditions in the United States are rich and complex, influenced by African, Native American and European cultures. Here are 10 skilled black artisans who produce beautiful, high-quality goods — from furniture to knives to baskets — for everyday use. All handmade, all based in tradition and all made with love. Buy a basket,…

Michael Arceneaux hails from Houston, lives in Harlem and praises Beyoncé’s name wherever he goes. Follow him on Twitter. The former head of the International Monetary Fund saw his dreams of becoming the next president of France dashed after his May arrest at New York’s JFK airport on accusations of raping a maid at the Sofitel New…

Michael Arceneaux hails from Houston, lives in Harlem and praises Beyoncé’s name wherever he goes. Follow him on Twitter. Morgan has always been known for his outrageous, if not outright offensive, humor. However, his comedy pass was revoked after a Nashville, Tenn., man took to Facebook to complain after the 30 Rock star said during a comedy…

After calling child-labor laws “truly stupid,” GOP presidential front-runner Newt Gingrich told an Iowa audience that poor children have “no habits of working” nor getting paid for their endeavors “unless it’s illegal.” Do all GOP candidates read from the same playbook? They need to overhaul their rhetoric. This is getting tiring. After Politico revealed Herman…

“I don’t [celebrate Kwanzaa]. But, I’m actually going to get ready to — with a friend of mine who celebrates it … It just seemed interesting; we always hear about Christmas, but what other things are being celebrated right now that we don’t even know about? And just because it’s not the big American holiday…