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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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The Black Person’s Guide to Game of Thrones
I was talking to a friend about my weekend plans, and I told her that I probably wouldn’t do much because I’d probably have the bubble guts nervously awaiting the season premiere of Game of Thrones. Her reply perplexed me, shook me to my core and made me rethink many of the choices that I’ve…
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John Singleton on How Crack Overtook L.A. in the New FX Series, Snowfall
Snowfall is proof that, more than 25 years after breaking through with his Oscar-nominated debut film, Boyz n the Hood, John Singleton hasn’t forgotten his roots or, most importantly, his responsibility. Different from Rebel, Singleton’s first scripted television show as an executive producer for BET earlier this year, Snowfall digs deep, very deep. Whereas Rebel,…
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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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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…
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Watch: A Brief History of Jazz by Some of the Genre’s Freshest Faces
So, what, exactly, is jazz? We know it’s black music, we know that many of the artists of the genre are political. But how does one define an art form so heavily based on improvisation and live instrumentation? Better question: Is jazz dead? The Root asked three fresh faces in jazz to school us on…
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Watch: The Cast of Power on the Meaning of Loyalty
Loyalty. It’s not something to be bought or sold. In life, one could only wish to find a tribe of loyal people. Hopefully, this is the case more often than not. But are the characters on Power loyal? I mean, really. Folks are being betrayed left and right: murder, infidelity, the works. C’mon, son. I…