the root tv
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Watch: Kamala Harris Had Time for the Homeland Security Secretary
Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen may have thought she was ready … but she wasn’t. She appeared in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee and claimed she did not know that Norway was predominantly white, and tried to save President Donald Trump’s statement about wanting more immigrants from there. She had the gall to…
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Watch: 5-Year-Old Steals Halftime Show at NBA Game With His Epic Dance Moves
The Cleveland Cavaliers-vs.-Golden State Warriors basketball game on Martin Luther King Jr. Day was aight (spoiler alert: Warriors won … again), but the real show was 5-year-old Tavaris Jones’ dancing during halftime. The young Detroit native kept the crowd entertained when LeBron James wasn’t busy crying scoring. Watch the video above.
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Watch: Like Simone Biles, How Many More Will Say #MeToo?
If there’s one fact I’ve learned over and over again in my 26 years on this planet, it’s that as a woman, I’m never safe, and the world could not give a damn about changing that. In the past few months, droves of women have bravely come forward to detail their experiences of sexual assault.…
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Watch: Patrisse Khan-Cullors on Being Under Extreme Surveillance
As an activist, Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors says that her home was first raided by Los Angeles police in 2013. “Surveillance tactics have been used against me,” Khan-Cullors told The Root.While this raid was years before the FBI’s 12-page “Black Identity Extremist” report—which vilifies black activists—was leaked, it’s clear that members of the…
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Watch: Is MLK’s Legacy Under Attack?
In November, President Donald Trump’s administration released declassified FBI documents on President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. But the release also included a batch of Martin Luther King Jr. documents filled with allegations of “abnormal” sexual behavior and of being a “slow thinker” and a “Marxist” (pdf). The Root spoke with Clayborne Carson, the Martin Luther…
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Judge of Characters: So You Think You Can Use Racism to Sell Clothing?
The “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” ad featuring an adorable young black boy has certainly made its way into your feed this week. While it’s not surprising that racism has a casual place in advertising, it is surprising that people don’t understand the deep-rooted emotional racism attached to calling black people “monkeys.” It is not…
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Watch: Taraji P. Henson Kills (People) in Her Latest Role in Proud Mary
Taraji P. Henson is a stellar actress, but sadly, most people recognize her from Empire. Maybe they were under rocks for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Hustle & Flow, Hidden Figures, Baby Boy or any of the other silver screen hits in which she’s appeared.. And while Henson has made her Empire character, Cookie,…
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Watch: The Last Dragon’s Taimak Talks Appropriation vs. Appreciation Within Black and Asian Cultures
The Last Dragon is a cult-classic film that features ridiculous stereotypes flipped on their head. We got to see Chinese men talking like they’re auditioning for the latest blaxploitation film, and Bruce Leroy himself adopt a quiet and quirky kung-fu-master attitude. With all of the culture swapping going on, my favorite video producer and editor…
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Watch: Hundreds Gather at Funeral for Erica Garner
On Monday, at the First Corinthian Baptist Church in Harlem, supporters, activists and celebrities gathered to mourn the passing of 27-year-old mother and activist Erica Garner. Garner—whose father, Eric Garner, died after being choked by police—died tragically on Dec. 30 of a heart attack. Watch the video above to hear from Erica Garner’s friends and…
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Watch: Jenifer Lewis Is Ready for Her Close-Up
All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up! Well, not me. But Jenifer Lewis is. The self-proclaimed mother of black Hollywood is always ready for her close-up. With a career that spans over three decades, Lewis is easily one of the most beloved on-screen legends. Name a role and Lewis is guaranteed to have…