The Root

There is no doubt that when it comes to the task of achieving excellence in the film industry, Black Hollywood has always understood the assignment.

Democrats are in control of both chambers of Congress and are expected to pass legislation that would move Washington, D.C., one step closer to achieving the ever-evasive status of statehood.Read more...

In today’s episode of White People Who Fucked Around and Subsequently Found Out, a Louisiana woman went from being a school bus driver to joining the United Wypipo Federation of You Bout to Lose Your Job all because she couldn’t keep her insensitive George Floyd comments in the drafts of her caucasity-filled mind and…Read more...

At this point I’m such a Florida news historian that you can tell me news that happened anywhere around the world, and I can tell you which event happened in Florida, the armpit of America.

A jury found Derek Chauvin guilty. He is going to jail.Read more...

Even though athletes won’t be sanctioned for raising their fists or kneeling during the national anthem at the Olympic trials, once the Olympics actually begin on July 23, they’ll be subject to discipline should they decide to do so, according to The Guardian and NBC Sports.

The Columbus, Ohio police officer who shot and killed 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant has been identified as Nicholas Reardon.

The National Museum of African American Music has chosen this year’s recipients of its Rhapsody & Rhythm Awards, and the selection is elite! On Wednesday, NMAAM announced it will honor Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson and the Fisk Jubilee Singers, per Billboard.Read more...

You know how I know cops don’t actually give a shit about law and order? A 17-year-old who (allegedly) shot and killed two people has become a cause célèbre for law enforcement and assholes nationwide. Common sense would tell you that supporting an alleged homicide suspect is probably something a cop shouldn’t do,…Read more...

Finally, it’s happening to us right in front of our faces!

On Tuesday, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murdering George Floyd. It was a small victory. It was justice, I guess. It was, for the most part, a single instance of the kind of accountability that desperately needs to be normalized.Read more...

I can’t imagine how hard it must be for Black students trying to navigate today’s world. If they’re not worrying about getting shot up at school, then they’re worrying about a cop shooting them on the way home. Considering all that Minneapolis has gone through with regards to police violence over the last 11 months,…Read more...

Sistaaahhs, Whoopi Goldberg and Naomi Campbell are on my mind and I’ve got these two amazing covers to thank for it.Read more...

White people are losing their fucking minds. Should you need further evidence of that fact, well, a grown-ass man felt the need to yell racial slurs at a group of Black kids and attempt to run them over with his truck.

One thing is for sure, two things are for certain: Spotify’s Jemele Hill Is Unbothered isn’t always what we expect, but it’s always a treat.Read more...

While the twentieth day of the fourth month holds no special significance for anyone outside of the incense industry (for some reason, it always smells like something’s burning; maybe it’s just me), Birmingham, Ala., Mayor Randall Woodfin gave residents a reason to celebrate when he officially pardoned anyone…Read more...

Across the country, people suffering from mental health crises often find themselves confronted with an armed police officer instead of a mental health professional who is better suited to support them. Oakland City Council is set to approve a pilot program in which 911 operators can direct trained civilians to handle…Read more...

When TV host and comedian Eric Andre stepped foot into the Atlanta Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport airport to catch his flight, I’m sure the last thing he planned for was to get harassed by two Atlanta Police while literally being steps away from his departing flight, but that’s exactly what happened.Read more...

As is often the case after Verzuz “battles,” folks get to ruminating on potential matchups, etc. Also, I’m folks; I do this after every Verzuz. Last night’s love-fest featured Method Man and Redman, two staples of 90s era hip-hop, though Method Man has become quite the actor, and Redman is, well, still one of the most…Read more...

Less than a day after Derek Chauvin was convicted of murdering George Floyd, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a civil investigation into police practices in Minneapolis.Read more...

Sometimes, I fantasize about writers’ rooms.Read more...

Derek Chauvin, the former Minnesota cop who kneeled on George Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes until he became unresponsive and later died, was found guilty of murder Tuesday. Chauvin’s bail was revoked, and he was immediately taken into custody.

I never want to be so woke that I’m unwilling to celebrate small victories.Read more...

My Moms once taught me that if I don’t have anything nice to say about people like Talib Kweli—who has “shove too many syllables into a sentence” and “harass Black women” circled on his daily agenda—then don’t say anything at all.Read more...

Black style is legendary, and as we celebrate the second year of The Glow Up 50, we’d be remiss not to acknowledge the living legends in our midst. This year, Dame Pat McGrath was honored with our annual Dap Award (so named for the iconic Dapper Dan), but she was in great company, as our committee heartily debated two…Read more...

Do you hear that? That’s the sound of the camera shutter clicking as we transition to the next scene in Shonda Rhimes’ Scandal—actually, it’s the sound of transition for the real-life inspiration behind Olivia Pope, author and crisis management expert Judy Smith because she is parting ways with her clients at the…Read more...

Though the Grammys took place back in March, Clive Davis is keeping the celebratory spirit alive by pressing forward with the second part of his annual “Pre-Grammy Gala.”

Tuesday, Black people celebrated the conviction of Derek Chauvin as jubilantly as they’d rejoice in their favorite sports team winning a championship. They know they are the underdogs. The rules are rigged against them, the opponent has outsized resources and always seems to be playing on home court, but yesterday…Read more...

Integrity comes at a steep price; you don’t become a billionaire by being morally sound. Diddy can’t even drive his kids to school without somebody reminding him that he robbed every artist on Bad Boy, and I would imagine that NFL ownership—where individual net worths can soar as high as $13 billion—features a…Read more...

I’m not sure why some white people hate justice so much when it comes to Black death, but alas, here we are in an America in which Macklemore won the Best Rap Album Grammy over Kendrick Lamar.

Another day, another white supremacist putting Black lives in danger only to be treated as less than a terrorist.Read more...

Derek Chauvin was found guilty of all charges for the murder of George Floyd.Read more...

There are women who paved the way in fashion, and there are trailblazers—and then, if you’re lucky enough, you’ll encounter fashion’s “Oracle,” Bethann Hardison. A model, advocate, agent and activist, Hardison is a force of nature who has worked tirelessly to change the way the industry engages with race and ensure…Read more...

A police officer in Columbus, Ohio, shot and killed 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant late Tuesday afternoon, around the same time the verdict in Derek Chauvin’s trial for the murder of George Floyd was being read.

Happy 4/20 folks! As you hopefully know, I’m the resident gamer person at The Root. In addition to playing quite a few video games, I also smoke quite a bit of weed. For obvious reasons, the last year saw me engaging in quite a bit of both those things. So, on this most sacred of holidays, I come before you with some…Read more...

In case you haven’t heard Spotify’s 10 Songs That Made Me, you’re missing your blessing. In their latest Music + Talk show, they’ve created a unique listening experience by allowing influential tastemakers and creatives to reflect on the 10 songs that’ve left a tremendous impact on each of their lives.Read more...

On May 25, 2020, George Perry Floyd, was alive.Read more...

In the last two months, the St. Louis City Justice Center has been the site of two uprisings by detainees demanding speedy trials and better conditions. Their pleas were effective, as a group of protesters gathered outside the jail this week and demanded better conditions for those held inside.

Rolling Loud, the Miami-based three-day hip-hop festival, is back and ready for action for this year’s festivities.Read more...

Three counts.Read more...

A coalition of Black faith leaders across Georgia are calling for a boycott of Home Depot in response to the corporation’s lack of urgency to pressure Republicans in the state to reverse its anti-Democratic voter suppression laws.Read more...

After over 10 hours of deliberation across 2 days, a jury has unanimously found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all three charges in the murder of George Floyd.

Last month, we witnessed the iconic Verzuz matchup between Wu-Tang Clan members and two of New York’s finest Ghostface Killah and Raekwon. Now, we’re being blessed with another smokin’ hot hip-hop battle: OG Kush rappers Method Man and Red Man.

Well, it looks like the saga that is New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo continues, as now the New York state comptroller has asked the state’s attorney general to investigate whether the embattled governor used state resources in the “development and promotion” of his coronavirus pandemic book.

As you may know by now, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which conducts the annual Golden Globe Awards, has had to do some extra public relations fixing in the past few months.Read more...

A “racial reckoning.” It’s a term we’ve used repeatedly in the past year, and will no doubt continue to use until America’s structural failings with race and police brutality are reconciled, which...a girl can dream, I guess. Nevertheless, this year’s honorees of The Glow Up 50 have done far more than just make pretty…Read more...

On December 24, 2020, Nike (and I presume the Kobe Bryant estate, headed up by his wife Vanessa Bryant) decided to re-release the Nike Kobe Zoom 6 Protro in the green apple/black/volt-crimson colorway. The shoes, affectionately referred to as the “Kobe Grinches” (because of their super green color and the additional…Read more...

OK. So maybe Google isn’t having an actual party, but the headline is correct in its initial sentiment.Read more...

There are very few points in modern American history that have been as devastating to the African-American community as the crack era.Read more...

During this year’s Kentucky Derby, fans will be allowed to attend and partake in the festivities for the first time since the pandemic began. That won’t be the only first; Kendrick Carmouche will become the first Black jockey to compete in the derby since 2013, per the Louisville Courier-Journal.Read more...