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The Root Recommends: 'The Barber of Birmingham'
The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement is a rousing documentary curated by Bay Area photographer Robin Fryday. In the months leading up to the election of President Obama, Fryday traveled down South, scouring the birthplace of the civil rights movement to document the 21st-century lives of those who fought for…
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The Root Recommends: 'Black Feminist Politics From Kennedy to Obama'
Duchess Harris’ Black Feminist Politics From Kennedy to Obama looks candidly at the role of black women in American politics, beginning with their struggle to gain political influence amid rigid opposition during the civil rights era and beyond. Harris paints a picture of black feminist mobilization beyond the walls of Congress or the White House,…
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Celebrities React to Casey Anthony Verdict
Anita Baker: “Innocent until PROVEN guilty … No cause of death. If you don’t know HOW it happened, you can’t say [whodunit].” Boris Kodjoe: Speechless! All I can think of is the baby. So angry! WTF. Brian White: “Wait … Was the verdict really NOT guilty???” Don Lemon: “Just from the little bit I saw…
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The Root Recommends: 'The First Grader'
Justin Chadwick’s The First Grader is a heartwarming story of an 80-year-old man’s journey to learn how to read in Kenya’s newly promised free education system. Maruge, a veteran of Kenya’s Mau Mau Uprising, fought against colonial British rule and longs for the education he was promised but never received. The First Grader documents Maruge’s…
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The Root Recommends: 'Children of the Street'
Kwei Quartey’s Children of the Street may be a fictional crime drama, but it takes place in the very real slum of Agbogbloshie in the heart of Ghana’s capital, Accra. The novel follows Inspector Darko Dawson as he solves a series of mutilating murders, each of the victims killed in the same, brutal way. Children…
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A Star-Spangled Mess: Botched Renditions of the National Anthem
Aguilera’s voice is golden, but her memory may need a little help. During the 2011 Super Bowl, the pop songstress skipped a whole verse of the anthem and exchanged it for some ad-libbed mumbles. Luckily, X-Tina reeled it in by belting out “and the rockets’ red glare” and rousing the crowd. While Aguilera got away…
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The Root Recommends: Jill Scott's 'The Light of the Sun'
Jill Scott’s characteristic groove and sultry voice is back with her newest album, The Light of the Sun. Her first album in four years, The Light of the Sun pleases with its blend of Philly-brewed neo-soul, throwback jazz accompaniments and Scott’s silky, organic vocals. Scott infuses her seductive and infectious music styling with hip-hop elements,…
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Celebrities Share Their HIV Testing Stories
“This year marks the 30th anniversary of HIV/AIDS. Since [it was discovered], HIV/AIDS has become a global pandemic. HIV/AIDS doesn’t discriminate based on race, class, gender, religious or sexual orientation. It affects us all. That is why I get tested every six months and I have a partnership with the CDC for HIV/AIDS awareness. National…
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The Root Recommends: 'Thug Life'
In Thug Life: Race, Gender, and the Meaning of Hip-Hop, Wellesley professor Michael P. Jeffries delves into the dynamics of race, gender and class in the world of hip-hop and rap. Jeffries investigates the move of hip-hop from local phenomenon on the streets of the Bronx, N.Y., to a global sensation sparking musical innovation the…
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Michael Jackson's Best: Reflections of a DJ
Of the many covers of this timeless classic, Mike’s version is my favorite. I like to open or end my sets with this one. People don’t so much dance to it as they just bask in awe of the emotional intensity of such a young child (he was 14 in 1972). On the dance floor,…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
