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Watch: Angela Rye Says Black People Shift the Culture
Here at The Root, we have a new video series we want to share with you all, and it’s called Black and Proud. In it, we get the chance to chat with a lot of our favorite black celebrities, tastemakers and thought leaders, so we decided to ask them about their pride in being black.…
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Watch: Filmmaker Shaka King Is Making Sure We Really See the Black Experience
Director and writer Shaka King is busy in the TV-and-film industry at the moment, but that wasn’t always the case. “It took a while, but once I started getting the work, it kept coming in. For a while I wasn’t getting shit, but ‘Mulignans’ really did a lot for my career,” says King, who hails…
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Watch: Color Complex: Untangling Black Women’s Hair
Skin color both unites and divides us. Whether you live in India, East Africa or Japan, the color of your skin shapes your identity and opportunities. Color Complex is a narrative series that explores how people of color around the world struggle for visibility and learn to navigate the prejudices and social hierarchies associated with…
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Watch: Philly’s Real-Life Superhero
The first time Ariell Johnson imagined herself as a superhero was when she laid eyes on Storm of The X-Men. “I just saw this white-haired, white-eyed black woman flying around shooting lightning at people and I was like, ‘Who is this?’” she says. “I felt like I was just kind of watching other people’s adventures…
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Watch: These Little Grads Will Make Your Day With ‘Hey Black Child’
Congratulations are in order for the 2017 graduating kindergarten class at the Academy of Knowledge in Miami. The adorable kids were tasked with reciting the iconic poem “Hey Black Child” by Useni Eugene Perkins, and it’s everything you want it to be. Check out the cuties in the video above: Hey Black ChildDo you know…
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Judge of Characters: How to Rob a Kardashian
This week you’re tweeting, texting and hashtagging something you never thought you’d care about: Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna. What’s the latest tea? Kardashian has cut off his baby mama financially, and Chyna has taken out a restraining order on him. Isn’t love grand?! These two hate-to-love-you lovers have had a volatile relationship from day…
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Watch: ‘No Country for Me’
Two hundred and forty-one years ago, America gained its independence from Britain. Since then, July 4 has been celebrated with American flags, parades, fireworks and barbecues. The word “freedom” is often associated with the day. But freedom for all under the red-white-and-blue flag is a myth. When the Declaration of Independence was signed, it would…
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Watch: Your Ultimate Guide to Black BBQs
Summertime is here, and with this glorious time of year comes one of the favorite pastimes of black people everywhere—BBQs! There’s something so special about the way black folks cook, eat and fellowship in the great outdoors. And as such, there are rules: Make sure the potato salad is made by a reputable and reliable…
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Black Music Month Is a Celebration of What We All Know: We Created Music
June is Black Music Month, and as it comes a close, The Root has chosen to celebrate our month and our music with our musical geniuses’ interpretation of black music—what it means, who are its biggest influences and who are our favorites. Check out the above video, featuring Morris Day, Kelly Rowland and more black…
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Watch: Soul and Funk Icons Who Stood Tall for Black Empowerment
You could say that music usually reflects where we are as a society. The height of soul and funk music ran roughly parallel to the civil rights movement in America, from the 1950s to the ’70s, a period that was highly charged with political and social commentary. In today’s climate, it seems fitting to remember…