world
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South Africa's Future Held by 'Born Frees'
(The Root) — The “new” South Africa turns 20 next year. The “biggest challenge” for this maturing democracy is how it deals with the “born frees,” says the Rev. Frank Chikane, who played a central role in the death of the old regime and the birth of the new order. The born frees are those…
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Will Boston's Nightmare Affect London's Race?
(The Root) — I’m in France at the moment watching the horrible events in Boston and their effect on London. Brits who were there are returning to the U.K. with terrible tales to tell, some still in shock. It’s the same in France. The Boston marathon is a huge international event that many nations see…
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Beyoncé, Jay-Z in Cuba: Views From the Ground
(The Root) — Beyoncé Knowles made waves last week when she and husband Jay-Z visited the Cuban capital, reportedly to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary. But if the king and queen of hip-hop headed south in search of peace and tranquillity, they had another thing coming. Crowds gathered in front of their hotel, surrounded them…
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Margaret Thatcher: Not Everyone Mourned
(The Root) — It’s always fascinating to observe how romantic Americans are about the United Kingdom. No matter what age or color, economic status or education, the country that most Americans call “England” always brings out the corniest responses. I like showing folks London when they come over, making sure that they see black London,…
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Malian Photographer's Story Debuts in US
(The Root) — While many photography fans are familiar with images of sharply dressed Malians during the 1960s and 1970s, casual art lovers might not know about the man behind the lens, Malick Sidibé. However, this will change when a documentary about Sidibé’s life and work — Dolce Vita Africana, released originally in 2008 —…
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Achebe Took Literature About Africans Global
(The Root) — For many people all around the world, Chinua Achebe was their first African writer. Things Fall Apart has been read and loved (and studied) by millions. And among its many readers were a generation of other African writers for whom he blazed the trail. Of course, that wonderful 1958 book wasn’t literally…
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Are Black Americans Ignoring Congo Crisis?
(The Root) — A poll conducted just before the 2012 presidential election found that issues related to foreign affairs rank among the lowest priorities for Americans. For this reason it is not entirely surprising that media outlets rarely cover international stories, particularly conflicts and tragedies, with the enthusiasm and intensity increasingly reserved for stories about…
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Why the Black and Poor Loved Hugo Chávez
(Special to The Root) — In June of 2007, I was eating breakfast at a restaurant in downtown Caracas when a sea of Venezuelans flooded the streets shouting their support for their president, Hugo Chávez, after he decided against renewing the license of Radio Caracas Televisión. But in disrupting my breakfast, the crowd also provided…
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Do You Know About the US Drones in Africa?
(The Root) — The legacy of colonialism has saddled the African continent with crippling poverty, widespread hunger and incurable disease. But there is a new threat on the horizon: an era of perpetual war. America’s war on terror was supposed to end, or at least subside, under President Obama’s watchful eye. Withdrawal from Iraq was…
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South Africans Worry Over 'Tata' Mandela
(The Root) — South Africa’s former President Nelson Mandela‘s weekend hospitalization sent shock waves throughout the world. The country’s national and international figures alike wished the 94-year-old a speedy recovery with a fervent optimism that one might reserve for a much younger, healthier man. The anti-apartheid icon was admitted to a military hospital Saturday in…