Despite his boasts to the contrary, Donald Trump’s no “super genius.” Nope, not a “genius” at all. That’s according to a man once described as the “friendly” admissions officer called upon to help get Trump into the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Add this to our growing—and ever-endearing—list of Tracee Ellis Ross trivia: the Golden Globe-winning actress, everyone’s Instagram BFF, and social media purveyor of many a fine skincare apparatus was among the first test users of the Beautyblender, the game-changing makeup sponge that is probably sitting pretty in…Read more...

On Monday, U.S. attorneys for the Southern District of New York unsealed a 14-page indictment that accused wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein of soliciting girls, some as young as 14, for sex acts in his sprawling Palm Beach, Fla., mansion and his 21,000 square-foot residence that is one of the largest in Manhattan.Read more...

We see a lot of deals around the web over on Kinja Deals, but these were our ten favorites today.Read more...

For 30 years, New York City’s Central Park has served as the origin of unspeakable anguish for Korey Wise, Raymond Santana, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, and Yusef Salaam—more commonly known as the Central Park Five but now known as the Exonerated Five. But in an unexpected full circle moment, it would appear that…Read more...

When news broke last week that Halle Bailey had been cast as Ariel for the new live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, I was thrilled. I’m a big fan of the show Grown-ish and her character Sky Forster has a good mix of comedic and dramatic timing. Bailey can sing, and images of red locks flowing under ocean waves is…Read more...

Maybe 15 years ago, upset that I couldn’t remember the details of these epic dreams I kept having, I started leaving a notebook at my bedside to jot them down. “Ha!,” I thought to myself, as I believed I finally found a method to capture my subconscious. “I’m clever as fuck!,” I also thought to myself, possibly…Read more...

Alright, so boom.

A man was caught on video performing the sacred ritual passed down from his fugitive slave catcher ancestors when on July 4, he called the police on a black man who refused to submit to his nonexistent authority as the cop caller’s son tearfully begged his father not to continue his public display of assholery.Read more...

According to a new report, police incidents involving the use of deadly force are on the decline in California.Read more...

Who wouldn’t want advice from Serena Williams? Not only has the all-time great tennis player (so says fellow GOAT-contender Roger Federer) racked up an impressive set of hardware over her 23-year career, she appears to be holding it down on the work-life balance front. She and husband Alexis Ohanian are “get you a man…Read more...

Monkey Jesus, but make it FLOTUS. That’s what a new statue depicting Melania Trump in her hometown of Sevnica, Slovenia is serving.Read more...

Throughout the course of 2019, it seems like everyone and their mother has unveiled their stance on reparations. From Democratic presidential candidates to Georgetown students, to riveting House testimonies, to Senate Majority Leader Mitch “We Elected an African-American” McConnell, we can’t go two days without…Read more...

If you have existing doorbell wiring, the Ring Video Doorbell Pro can install in place of your existing doorbell, and never require you to charge the batteries. Normally $249, Prime members can get it for an all-time low $169 right now as part of Amazon’s Prime Day lead-up deals.

President Donald Trump believes all news is fake news except the state-sponsored Russia Times Fox News, which the president considers a friend. The president and news anchors share lawyers and buzzard souffle recipes, so it was strange to see the Kardashian of presidents beefing with the Jordyn Woods of news networks.

An Osprey hiking gear gold box, an Alexa-compatible Roomba, and a Cuisinart cast iron cookware gold box lead off Monday’s best deals from around the web.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) may have overstayed her welcome. For some reason—maybe it’s jealousy, maybe it’s because the new crop of freshmen members of Congress—Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) refuse to kiss the ring—the senior…Read more...

“Black people don’t live, they survive,” Lena Waithe uttered to an eager audience of Essence Fest patrons who had just witnessed something that left us wanting more. That line not only reflects reality but embodies the upcoming film she wrote, Queen & Slim, directed by Melina Matsoukas.Read more...

Joining what seems like every black woman in America at Essence Fest, senator and presidential hopeful Kamala Harris unveiled a $100 billion plan to increase black homeownership that, if implemented, could serve as a major step toward closing the racial wealth gap or at least pay two or three months rent on a modest…Read more...

Like I’ve said before, the America in which I reside is currently single and is using this time to rediscover itself after the Obamas’ departure from the blackest administration in history.Read more...

On rare occasions, the cyclical nature of the universe creates a situation where yin meets yang, the sowers of havoc must reap the fruits of their nefarious harvest and the dispensers of bitter pills finally get a taste of their own medicine. Or, as the great educator, philosopher, and vegan animal rights activist…Read more...

No, Michelle Obama is not running for president, y’all.Read more...

The iconic singer/songwriter who is unquestionably the greatest love poet in American history (don’t debate this) surprised British concertgoers by announcing that he will take a break from performing to undergo a kidney transplant this fall.Read more...

So, I like clothes, right?

An Amazon shirt sale, robovacs, citronella candles, and Civilization VI discount lead off Sunday’s best deals from around the web.Read more...

Nest Learning Thermostat 3rd Gen (Stainless Steel) with Two Google Nest Sensors and a Google Home Mini | $190 | Home DepotRead more...

If The Wire had a love child with The Sopranos and the resulting baby ran away from its good home in the HBO suburbs, moved to a town called Starz and started hanging out with friends named “Fiddy,” we’d have to name that hit show Power.

As our days in New Orleans progress, it’s easier and easier to see why the Essence Festival has chosen the city has its home for almost all of its 25 years. Aside from the beauty, history, and incredible food, there is an unparalleled warmth and hospitality among its people, who have made us feel welcome every step of…Read more...

Hip-hop star A$AP Rocky is reportedly being held in solitary confinement after Swedish authorities arrested him for an alleged assault that was captured on video, which according to a Swedish court and an A$AP Rocky hit song, is a fucking problem.Read more...

Arizona law enforcement officials arrested a man who allegedly killed an innocent teenager in a brutal stabbing early Thursday morning. Although the teen didn’t know the suspect or apparently do anything to his alleged killer, authorities say the man committed the fatal act simply because he felt threatened by the…Read more...

Last night, my life was changed. I witnessed Melissa “Missy” Arnette Elliott perform and the quality of my existence has been upgraded for the better.Read more...

Instead of curing deadly diseases like cancer, AIDS or racism, researchers at some of California’s top universities came together to explore one of the most mysterious subjects in the category of shit we already knew anyway—namely, that white people think all black people look the same.Read more...

A Greenworks tool sale, smart home sale, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Libratone Speakers, and a juicer lead off Saturday’s best deals from around the web.Read more...

Traeger Renegade Pro Pellet Grill | $490 | AmazonRead more...

One Chicago family was needlessly put through the ordeal of having to make a life-or-death decision about a loved one, while a second family was robbed of the chance to bid farewell to theirs after a Chicago police mixup, a lawsuit filed by both families claims.

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Elizabeth “I have a plan for that” Warren pledged Friday to help close the pay gap suffered by women of color, especially by women who are black or brown.

Since yesterday was America’s birthday, let’s begin the Clapback Mailbag with a patriotic song:Read more...

Donald Trump’s decision to insert himself in Independence Day celebrations in the nation’s capital resulted in a tale of two Fourths — and an erroneous, anachronistic reference to airports being present during the time of the Revolutionary War.

If, by chance, you find yourself in New Orleans during the July 4th weekend, there are certain things you simply must do: check out the Essence Festival, catch the fireworks display over the Mississippi River, stumble upon a second line and/or live jazz in the French Quarter while sipping a “go cup,” and eat.

It’s been said time and time again that the black experience is not monolithic.Read more...

As the nation celebrated the national holiday that symbolizes all men being created equal, a small minority of mistreated Americans cranked up the Caucasian outrage machine to address an egregious injustice that threatened the happiness and well-being of people everywhere. But this time, the righteous indignation was…Read more...

Black people know things.

I’ve traveled the world and been to multiple parts of the Caribbean and Africa, but I don’t think I’ve never been on a plane as black as the one I boarded to attend Essence Fest.

The Fourth of July, or the Fourth of You Lie as we black folks like to call it, is here again. And we’ll be inundated with bold-faced lies about American exceptionalism. You’ll hear it from television commentators. From politicians. From dudes wearing a red, white and blue t-shirt…made in China.

In the 10-plus years since The Root was founded, our writers have always celebrated the Fourth of July with the knowledge that America’s original Independence Day celebration only applied to white men. Since then, this land of freedom and opportunity has graciously allowed its black citizens incremental but…Read more...

Queen Sugar’s fourth season has not disappointed one bit. Not that I expected it to, but the writers continuously find new ways to hit us with shit we absolutely did not see coming. This week’s episode was no different. I had enough moments that elicited a physical reaction in episode 4, “Skin Transparent,” that I…Read more...

Intex Yellow Inflatable Duck Ride-On | $10 | AmazonRead more...

Marshae Jones, the Alabama woman who was arrested and charged with manslaughter in the death of her fetus after she got shot during a fight, will not be prosecuted, the district attorney overseeing the case said Wednesday.Read more...

That didn’t last long. Just one day after the Trump administration said the 2020 census forms would be published without a question asking whether people are U.S. citizens, Donald Trump railed (on Twitter, of course) that such reports were “FAKE!” and that his team was “moving forward” on having the question included:

U.S. presidents traditionally have been hands-off when it comes to the Fourth of July so as to avoid politicizing commemorations of the nation’s birth. But not Donald Trump, whose decision to insert himself in Washington, D.C.’s annual celebration with a speech at the Lincoln Memorial and an elaborate display of…Read more...