by Tonja Renée Stidhum on The Grapevine, shared by T on (#5FV9R)
Y’all already know Black folks don’t half-ass our celebrations. So, it should come as no surprise that the NAACP dedicated an entire week of awarding Black excellence with a daily “virtual experience” for its block of non-televised award winners.Read more...
While distribution of Johnson and Johnson’s single-shot coronavirus vaccine hit an initial snag, the Biden Administration announced on Friday that the company will deliver 11 million doses of the vaccine next week.Read more...
Jacob Blake is taking legal action against the police officer who shot him in the back seven times last summer in Kenosha, Wis., paralyzing the 29-year-old Black man.
by Shanelle Genai on The Grapevine, shared by Shanell on (#5FV7S)
My dearest and most delightful reader, ‘tis I, Lady Welpington of The Root, back with another roundup of Black entertainment happenings that I’m sure you’ll be most pleased to hear about. As we are by now well aware, the giant machine we all know as Hollywood doesn’t always invest in TV and film starring folks who…Read more...
I’ve been through a lot in my life: heartbreak, a strained relationship with my parents, a brush with death when somebody poisoned my grits by sprinkling sugar in them, literally going to war when I got deployed after 9/11 (yes, I was in the military), but yesterday was a fucking lot.Read more...
When’s the last time you had a good kiki? With our social lives deeply lacking during quarantine, many of us have turned our focus inward—which proved the perfect time to indulge in some Bevelations with radio host, veteran strategist, media personality, and guaranteed good time, Bevy Smith. As Smith, a close friend…Read more...
Change is often a slow, ongoing process. Last year, hundreds of thousands of Americans marched in the streets and demanded that police stop killing unarmed Black people and that they be held accountable for their actions. New York City, which is no stranger to police misconduct, passed a series of reforms on Thursday,…Read more...
by Maiysha Kai on The Glow Up, shared by Maiysha Kai on (#5FTVX)
As Black History Month transitioned into Women’s History Month—Black HerStory Month, if you’re nasty (or The Root)—the highly anticipated stories of two major Black musical icons made their way onto our (still quarantined) screens. February closed with Andra Day’s onscreen debut in the untold story of Billie Holiday’s…Read more...
I was going to begin this write-up talking about Rush Limbaugh. I was going to talk about pre-presidency George W. Bush. I was going to mention the nearly endless list of renowned politicians, actors and recording artists who have or are currently battling drug addiction.Read more...
It can sometimes be tempting to dismiss the psychological and traumatic impact of racism, outside of the horrific inflection points of bigotry that directly result in the loss of life.
What up folks! It’s that time of the week where I scour the virtual marketplaces in order to find you some fun that won’t break the bank. It’s a varied list this week, with some games you can beat over a weekend, and some others that’ll keep you occupied for a minute. So with that out of the way, let’s talk about…Read more...
Justin Herron is an offensive tackle for the New England Patriots. He’s also a hero after taking quick action to prevent a woman from being sexually assaulted in a Arizona park last weekend.
AstraZeneca’s attempt to receive federal approval for its coronavirus vaccine has been nothing short of a saga, and unfortunately it’s a saga that has only increased skepticism about the company’s vaccine. After being asked by health officials to provide updated data regarding the vaccine’s effectiveness, new data…Read more...
Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton—whose surname is probably not short of I-like-my-negroes-picking-Cotton, but you never know—is the most annoying kind of racist. Like white conservatives across the nation, Cotton is very careful not to drop any n-bombs on camera but he has no problem getting in front of a microphone and…Read more...
There’s the old expression about how when white people get the cold, Black people get the flu. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has only further demonstrated how true that expression is, as a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that Black, Asian and Latino communities have consistently…Read more...
Anosh Ahmed, the chief operating officer at Loretto Hospital on the West side of Chicago, has resigned from his post following the revelatory reports that he had sent vaccine doses meant for residents of the majority-Black, low-income neighborhood to considerably richer and whiter people in Chicago—including Eric…Read more...
by Shanelle Genai on The Grapevine, shared by Shanell on (#5FSYK)
Well, well, well. It seems we’ve come to yet another end of the virtual events road—at least where the month of March is concerned. As expected, this Women’s History Month/Black HerStory Month has been nothing short amazing, though it definitely brought its fair share of eye-worthy news stories over the last four…Read more...
by Panama Jackson on Very Smart Brothas, shared by Pa on (#5FSWC)
Ever since the SWV versus Xscape Verzuz was announced, my soul has been awash with joy and good tidings and cheer. I love SWV. I’m an SWV-stan. An SWV-apologist. I’m an SWV-superfan. I love Coko’s singing and will fight with anybody about her place in the pantheon of R&B singers. She’s in my top 10 and I can’t even…Read more...
by Tonja Renée Stidhum on The Grapevine, shared by T on (#5FSWD)
PBS has an upcoming film spotlighting a bit of Black American history that may not be well-known. Produced and directed by Jamila Ephron and executive produced by Cameo George, The Blinding of Isaac Woodard tells the story of Sgt. Isaac Woodard.Read more...
You can tell that a lot of white people have not gotten used to the existence of a social environment where their unmitigated whiteness can cost them their jobs. And unmitigated whiteness is exactly what was on full display when John Holian, the now-former headmaster of St. Martin de Porres Marianist School in…Read more...
by Tonja Renée Stidhum on The Grapevine, shared by T on (#5FST6)
Craig “muMs” Grant, the beloved poet and actor known for appearing in HBO’s acclaimed series Oz, has died. His representatives at Ellipsis Entertainment Group confirmed Grant died on Thursday, but the details of his death are unknown, Deadline reports.Read more...
If you want to know how racist the filibuster is, just know that it called me the n-word. The filibuster just made a joke about my ability to run faster and jump higher. The filibuster just asked me how long I’ve owned a Chrysler 300 knowing good and damn well I don’t have a car.
I got my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine last week, and I’ve barely been able to stay awake since. But aside from unyielding lethargy and some of the best sleep I’ve ever gotten in my entire Black-ass life, I apparently also qualify for some additional perks—and I’m not talking about a strengthened immune system.Read more...
As Britain’s present-day racism continues to come to light in the context of the whole Meghan Markle debacle, a reckoning with the historical racism of the British Isles is also emerging.
by Tonja Renée Stidhum on The Grapevine, shared by T on (#5FSMY)
You know how adults have taken on the phrasing “explain it to me like I’m five,” especially in situations surrounding complicated matters that often involve debate on social media platforms? Well, that phrase is quite relevant as we discuss challenging matters that also affect children. When it comes to conversations…Read more...
by Shanelle Genai on The Grapevine, shared by Shanell on (#5FSMZ)
Former co-host of The View Sherri Shepherd is sending her support to Sheryl Underwood in the aftermath of her and Sharon Osbourne’s hella hostile exchange. (And by “hella hostile,” I mean on the part of Sharon—let’s be very clear.)Read more...
by Panama Jackson on Very Smart Brothas, shared by Pa on (#5FSHM)
Up until last week, I had a very vague knowledge of Derrick Jaxn. I’d heard his name of course. He and a slew of other chaps’ names are often bandied about when it comes to relationship “gurus;” their videos in cars and places are often shared all over the social medias. In my neck of the social medias—the Wishanigga…Read more...
Six years to the day that she became a full-time staffer and associate editor at The Root, Editor-in-Chief Danielle Belton sat her staff down via virtual meetup to make a difficult announcement: She’d be departing to lead the team at HuffPost.Read more...
by Shanelle Genai on The Grapevine, shared by Shanell on (#5FSBG)
First things first: Rest in peace to my expectations. They’re gone. RIP. They’re no more; they’ve left the building. At least, that’s the case where Rihanna’s new music is concerned.
The parents of Keyon Harrold Jr., the Black teen who Miya Ponsetto was seen on video in December physically attacking on the false claim that he had stolen her lost iPhone, are now suing the woman and the hotel they say enabled her behavior.Read more...
Tuesday marked one year since Daniel Prude was detained by police in Rochester, N.Y., while suffering what his family has called a mental health crisis that involved him walking naked through the streets—an encounter that led to him dying after being taken off of life support a week later.Read more...
Good news for low-income families of color in Oakland, Calif., as the city announced that it would be launching a program that would provide supplemental income over the next year and a half.