The Root

When you control the narrative, you create the rules. And when it comes to Olympic sprinter Wyomia Tyus, it should come as no surprise that history has tried its best to cast yet another Black woman aside.

If you’ve been following The Root, you’re probably familiar with our popular Black Ass Game, which we’ve hosted here for forever and a day. Speaking of forever and a day, it’s been 33 years since the debut of Coming to America and now, in this year of our Lord, 2021...we’re getting an aptly titled sequel, Coming 2…Read more...

Ettore Ewen, a.k.a WWE Superstar Big E, is a lot of things. He’s a 10-time WWE tag team champion, the current intercontinental champion, a podcaster, a voice actor, an author, and in my brief time talking to him, I learned he’s also a man with a sincere passion for Black history.

Yes, I’m about to make an “I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man” lyric reference in a lede about Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter yet again—and no, you cannot stop me. I mean, my editor can, but I digress. (Editor’s note: Go forth and prosper...like Jay-Z.)Read more...

I just…Read more...

On Wednesday, the House passed a comprehensive police reform bill named in honor of George Floyd, the 46-year-old Black man whose brutal death after being restrained under the knee of a Minneapolis cop helped spur a nationwide movement against racism and unjust police practices in 2o2o.

President Joe Biden promised America $2,000 stimulus payments as soon as he got into office. Shortly after Georgia voters came out in force and helped turn the red state blue, ensuring that Biden would be playing to a Democratic Senate, Biden noted that $1,400 was on the way. Then, West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin began…Read more...

When former Atlanta Dream guard Renee Montgomery decided to sit out during the 2020 WNBA season in order to focus on social justice issues, it was the officer-related death of George Floyd that compelled her to act. But little did she know that this tragedy would also serve as a catalyst for a series of events that…Read more...

Top Product: L’Oreal Infallible 24HR Fresh Wear Foundation | $15 | Target

Apple’s iPad Air and a TaoTronics massage gun lead Thursday’s best deals.

The primetime plot thickens!Read more...

On Jan. 26, 2021, President Joe Biden signed four executive orders designed to address racial equity in the United States. With one particular action, Biden hopes to right the historical wrongs Black folks have faced when it comes to housing and homeownership in this country.

Powerbot R7040 Robot Vacuum | $249 | Samsung

PlayStation Plus - 12 Months | $27 | Eneba | Use code PS5DROPPED

Ahh, fashion...one day you’re in, the next day you’re out—but for those concerned about André Leon Talley being thrown out of his longtime home in White Plains, N.Y., the icon assures us he’s just fine, thankyouverymuch.Read more...

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: A lot of people need to get it out of their heads that racism will go away once older generations of white people die off.Read more...

In anticipation of the upcoming Coming to America sequel, we decided to devote a week to some observations, questions, and theories we’ve always had about the iconic original.

A Michigan prosecutor has declined to file charges against a man who hung a KKK flag near a Black woman’s home.Read more...

The last two decades and some change have been an arduous journey for Curtis Flowers, a Mississippi man who spent over 22 years in prison for a crime he was wrongfully convicted of. In 2019, the Supreme Court finally granted Flowers his freedom, and two years later, a judge has ordered the state to finally run Flowers…Read more...

There’s still a lot being unpacked regarding the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, and it doesn’t help that white supremacist militia groups are apparently planning another attack in Washington, D.C., tomorrow.Read more...

When you are a man and you’ve fucked up, the manly thing to do is own up to it, apologize, and if the situation requires it, you step down.

As we reach the first anniversary of the start of our year-long, COVID-induced Netflix binge, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Vaccinations, while having a tumultuous rollout, have steadily continued, and nationwide case numbers and hospitalizations have been trending downward. While these are positive…Read more...

We’re mere days away from NBA All-Star Weekend, and while it’s not exactly the brightest idea to host an event that will draw thousands of people to Atlanta in the middle of a global pandemic, that doesn’t mean there isn’t at least some good that can come from the festivities.Read more...

The presiding judge in the murder trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis cop captured on video kneeling on George Floyd’s neck until he died last year, has ruled that only one of the victim’s family members can attend the trial proceedings.

Shaq has a lot on his plate.

When it comes to comedic royalty, Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall are the kings of the multi-performance. With an array of beloved Coming to America characters between them—including but not limited to Prince Akeem, Randy Watson, Semmi and Baba—you never know which of the many faces you’ll see these two actors don next.Read more...

People will never disappoint you as long as you expect people to be disappointing.Read more...

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL I WILL NEVER NOT BE BOTH HORRIFIED AND TICKLED—TICKLEFIED—BY WHITE PEOPLE’S COMMITMENT TO INVENTING AND DISCOVERING NEW RACISMS LIKE HOW WAZE DISCOVERS NEW ROUTES…Read more...

Solange Knowles is reflecting on the past two years—specifically, the day she released her fourth studio album, When I Get Home.

Now that Mercury is out of Gatorade and we are still in a panorama, I’m happy to report that the stimmy is on the way.

Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War and a Vankyo mini projector lead Wednesday’s best deals.

You have to give the Biden administration credit—as it appears the new president is doing his very best to pull the country out of the pandemic that, for nearly a year, has kept us locked in and mourning the deaths of loved ones killed by the coronavirus.

Dyson V7 Fluffy | $200 | Newegg

It’s probably not the brightest idea to proceed with NBA All-Star Weekend considering we’re in the middle of a global pandemic. But since cash “fan engagement” takes precedence, according to NBA commissioner Adam Silver, we’re only a few days away from a basketball extravaganza that nobody asked for. Hell, even its…Read more...

NuWave Bio 4.5qt Air Fryer | $50 | Bed, Bath, & Beyond

The 32nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards has found its fabulous host—Niecy Nash!Read more...

If any of you thought that Republicans weren’t going to continue their all-out efforts to fuck over America then you would be wrong. But surely none of you thought that since Republicans have been tirelessly working to overthrow the government to create a more perfect QAmerica.

Fun fact: I don’t know Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. We’ve never met, and have no mutual friends or family (that I know of). In fact, aside from both attending Northwestern University at some (but not the same) point in our lives, we have little to nothing in common (aside from being light-skinned Black women—and I’m not…Read more...

Roborock E4 Robot Vacuum | $195 | Amazon

The wrong people voted. That seems to be the general consensus among Georgia Republicans, because despite repeatedly claiming that elections were safe and secure in the state, they still decided to pass a restrictive voting bill in the state House.

Here at The Root, we celebrate Black excellence of all kinds—and so much of that excellence is embodied in the ways we influence and interpret fashion and beauty. Since The Glow Up’s founding, we’ve done deep dives on fashion and beauty in addition to a range of content centering the issues of Black women and femmes,…Read more...

I’m sure at this point you don’t need me to reiterate how disruptive the coronavirus pandemic has been. In an effort to help address how the lack of in-person schooling has potentially affected some students’ ability to get a good meal, families of Chicago students will receive $450 to help assist with food expenses.Read more...

If you’re anything like us, this is the time of day—and the time of the week (OK, year)—when your energy and mood may be flagging a bit, meaning you’re desperately in need of a pick-me-up. Allow us to help, by directing your attention to the utterly adorable new Stuart Weitzman campaign starring Serena Williams and…Read more...

A new study on the Jan. 6 insurrection, rally and jumping-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol Building determined that most of the participants in the Mutiny on the Ballot were regular schmegular white people just like me and you.Read more...

LMAO, you (racists who send us hateful emails for every little thing) thought we were going to stop talking about Black-ass content now that Black History Month is over?! Ha! Welcome to The Root!Read more...

Bunny Wailer, who was the last remaining founding member of the iconic reggae group The Wailers, has died at 73.

Pardon me if you’ve heard this before, but the University of Texas at Austin has a bit of an “OK, so is this racist as hell or nah?” problem when it comes to its fight song. But of course, you knew this already because you read The Root.Read more...

Jhené Aiko has a song on her latest album Chilombo titled “Magic Hour”—and it looks like she’ll be the MC of several “magic hours” as the 32-year-old songstress has been confirmed as the host of the 63rd Annual Grammys Premiere Ceremony.Read more...

It’s no secret that Republicans are inimical to people with melanin having equal, fair access to the ballot box. And today, the Supreme Court—which has a Republican majority—heard arguments in two cases that could demolish what’s left of the Voting Rights Act, a critical bulwark against racial discrimination in voting.

When Black women lead, we typically bring everyone to the table; it’s been proven time and again, with increasingly inclusive results. That’s why, as we kick off Women’s History Month, we’re so excited to see Black women, who have so long been the drivers of culture, taking their rightful places at the head of tables…Read more...