Politics

The White House is reporting that first lady Michelle Obama’s official trip to southern Africa kicks off this week. Her visit will focus on youth leadership and education and will include meetings with key figures in the anti-apartheid struggle.  The first lady will travel to Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa and Gaborone, Botswana. During the trip,…

In other news: Charles Blow Remembers His Father.

As I vowed when The Root inaugurated this column, there ain’t no mountain high enough, ain’t no valley low enough, ain’t no river wide enough to keep me from delving into the foibles of the political right wing. Thus, at considerable risk to my mental health, I subjected myself to the entire two hours of…

Since this nation was founded more than two centuries ago, there has been nearly constant tension between tradition and evolution. Yet over the years, from the Civil War to the civil rights movement, the forces of progress have haltingly advanced, and continue to do so today. After all, just 50 years ago businesses still hung…

Does the state discourage poor fathers from being present in their children’s lives? There are the emblematic images, like Diahann Carroll as a single mother on welfare in the 1974 movie Claudine, struggling to hide her boyfriend from a social worker. Urban legends tell of “man in the house” rules that prohibit men from living…

Black America Web is reporting the White House insisted Wednesday that President Barack Obama has the authority to continue U.S. military action in Libya even without authorization from lawmakers on Capitol Hill. In a detailed, 32-page report to Congress, the White House also put the cost of U.S. military operations in Libya at about $715 million,…

Julianne Hing of ColorLines is reporting that new poll numbers from Latino Decisions show that Latino voters view immigration reform as an issue that is as important as jobs and education. Thus, President Obama has his work cut out for him because of his lack of progress on immigration reform. According to poll results, for…

The Obama administration’s deafness to the growing chorus of opposition to the senseless war on drugs has become so appalling that you almost start thinking Cornel West was right. About Obama’s supposed lack of interest in black concerns, that is. I know that’s not actually the problem: the president has to prioritize. With the economy…