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They Could Have Been Jackie Robinson
On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson made his debut as a Brooklyn Dodger, becoming the first black player to break the color barrier in Major League Baseball. Dodger General Manager Branch Rickey wasn’t just looking for the best black player; he wanted someone who had the temperament to withstand the brutality of racism. Robinson stoically…
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Class Acts: Black Women Educators
For Women’s History Month, we chose to take a look at the contributions of black women to the educational cause. You might not have heard of many of the people on this list, but the work these African Americans are doing to change and improve the quality of education — whether it’s through legislation, in the…
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Mayor Bloomberg, Big Sodas Aren't the Issue
(The Root) — When a New York Supreme Court judge struck down New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s ban on the sale of supersized sugary drinks, I was glad. I hated this particular so-called nanny-state law from the beginning, even though our nation is in the grips of an obesity crisis. I’m very aware of…
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The Other Harriet Tubmans
March 10, 2013, marks the centennial of Harriet Tubman’s death. Tubman, a runaway slave born in 1822, became the most famous “conductor” on the Underground Railroad, the secret network of safe houses used by runaway slaves to escape to freedom. To mark the anniversary of Tubman’s death and to celebrate Women’s History Month, we present…
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Aisha Tyler: Queen of the Blerds
(The Root) — Aisha Tyler is always on the grind. The comedian and TV star is in a constant state of motion: She can be seen Monday to Friday as a co-host of CBS’ The Talk, a show similar in vibe to The View; she’s the voice of sassy secret agent Lana Kane in the…
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Notables in Black Culture We Lost in 2012
Carter, who was a civil rights attorney for the NAACP, is best known for developing the legal strategy in cases that led to the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case in 1954. Carter became NAACP general counsel in 1956 and would go on to win 21 of 22 cases that he argued before the…
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The Root Recasts 'Lady Sings the Blues'
Lady Sings the Blues, the film based on the tragic life of blues singer Billie Holiday, was released 40 years ago. The movie, starring Diana Ross and Billy Dee Williams, would go on to become a box-office success, earn five Oscar nominations and introduce a wider audience to Holiday’s music. We wondered, if the movie…
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16 Blacks Who Added Flavor to Late Night
When former CNN anchor T.J. Holmes debuts his new talk show, Don’t Sleep! Oct. 1 at 11 p.m. ET on BET, he’ll be facing more than stiff competition from The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and late local news. Attracting an audience at night has been a challenge for even the most talented stars. Here…
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12 New Must-See TV Shows With Black Stars
Once again, the big five networks — ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and the CW — and a few cable networks are trotting out new shows for the fall TV season. Though we’ve given up hope that the big five will ever feature shows that tell stories strictly from a black perspective (Kerry Washington’s Scandal, which…
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Don't Hate Lolo Because She's Beautiful
(The Root) — So there was U.S. hurdler Lolo Jones nearly in tears on the Today show one day after she finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles at the London Olympics. But Jones wasn’t just upset about failing to medal in an event that she’d trained for most of her life. What made Jones angry…
