the root tv
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Judge of Characters: The Hatred of Black Women
The death of Stephon Clark does what many black men’s deaths at the hands of police do: rally the troops to protest why, for some strange reason, black lives seemingly don’t matter. There’s no way for us to think otherwise when Clark was shot down in less than seven seconds in his grandmother’s backyard. But…
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Watch: King’s Mountaintop, 50 Years Later
When Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, the news shocked the world. The day before, King gave his last speech, known today as the “Mountaintop” speech—one that some would call a prophecy. The civil rights leader went to Memphis, Tenn., to shed light on…
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Watch: Roxanne Shanté Explains How She Created Hip-Hop Diss Records
Lolita Shanté Gooden, aka Roxanne Shanté, is a hip-hip icon, a living legend, if you will. Netflix has released Roxanne Roxanne, a biopic that chronicles Shanté’s humble beginnings in Queens, N.Y., in the ’80s. Shanté was a solidified rap staple from the Queensbridge Houses. She could rap circles around anybody and quickly became the go-to…
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Watch: Teens March 50 Miles in Honor of Martin Luther King Jr.
A group of teens began a 50-mile march in Mississippi on March 31 in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and to mark the 50th anniversary of his assassination. The group, which includes adult mentors, will finish its march on April 4 at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn., where King was killed on April…
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Watch: Patti LaBelle Is Everyone’s Favorite Mom
There’s something about Mrs. Wayne from A Different World. She was a black mother personified: Adele Wayne would put you in check, was protective of her kin (Chipmunk!), witty and intelligent, and boy, could Mrs. Wayne cook. In her role as Adele Wayne, Patti LaBelle did that. Over the decades, the legendary singer has played…
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Watch: Strange Case Has Michael Bennett Facing Up to 10 Years in Prison
The Root 100 honoree and NFL star Michael Bennett posted bail after turning himself in Monday in Houston. He was indicted last week on a felony charge of causing injury to the elderly during the 2017 Super Bowl. The Philadelphia Eagles defensive end allegedly injured the shoulder of a 66-year-old paraplegic woman at the event…
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Watch: Who Is Feminism For?
For Women’s History Month, Jezebel and The Root are partnering for JezeRoot, a series that focuses on women of color, domestic workers and sex workers. The textbook definition of feminism is a movement or a set of ideas that champion equal rights for women. However, feminist activists over the last 50 years have struggled to…
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Watch: More Black Children Are Turning to Suicide, so What Can We Do About It?
Ashawnty Davis attempted to take her own life by hanging in November 2017. Two weeks later, the 10-year-old succumbed to her injuries. Days after Ashawnty’s death, 8-year-old Imani McCray hanged herself in her New Jersey home. And weeks earlier, 11-year-old Rylan Thai Hagan hanged himself from the bunk bed in his family’s Washington, D.C., home.…
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Watch: Snoop Is Making Millions in Green With His New Cannabis Investment Firm
Calvin Broadus, aka Snoop Dogg, has became a major player in the ancillary cannabis industry after co-founding Casa Verde Capital and acquiring $45 million from investors. The ancillary business involves companies that never touch the actual product—from tech startups to weed-focused attorneys. Watch the video above to learn more.