Peter J. Rickards, Author at The Root

Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude

The Root Brings Our Community’s Activists, Artists and Great Minds Together for The Root Institute 2021

The Root presents, The Root Institute 2021, in partnership with Target.

By

Peter J. Rickards

Published

September 20, 2021
‘For Me, He Was Superman’: Rasheda Ali Gets Deeply Personal About Her Father in New Muhammad Ali Documentary

Rasheda Ali is one of the main voices featured in the upcoming Ken Burns’ documentary, Muhammad Ali.

By

Peter J. Rickards

Published

September 16, 2021
Before Hip-Hop Embraced ‘The Chronic’ There Was Rick James’ ‘Mary Jane’

Sacha Jenkins discusses the impact of ‘Mary Jane’ and his new documentary Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James.

By

Peter J. Rickards

Published

September 3, 2021
This Black-Owned Business Is Bringing Plant-Based ‘Soul Food’ to Black Communities

Plant-based diets are on the rise, and this vegan company is gaining support from stars like Lizzo and Chris Paul.

By

Peter J. Rickards

Published

August 27, 2021
Black Joy and Plants: A Guide to Growing Into a Plant Parent

Plant ownership among Black people is on the rise, and the founder of ‘Soul Sista Plants’ has some easy tips to turn your space into Plantasia.

By

Peter J. Rickards

Published

June 10, 2021
The Little-Known Story of Bill Traylor, One of America's Most Important Artists of the 20th Century

Bill Traylor’s extraordinary life story is American history. The self-taught artist began his unique drawings in his 80s and produced over 1,200 works. His drawings depicted memories from the plantation and the Black Southern experience throughout the 20th century. Bill was born into slavery in Alabama, lived through the Civil War, the Reconstruction period, Jim…

By

Peter J. Rickards

Published

May 27, 2021
You're Not Hallucinating: Black People Are Being Left Out of the Psychedelic Renaissance

Psychedelic drugs are becoming much more widely accepted as a safer alternative to common pharmaceutical drugs for treating everything from depression to substance abuse—but who is getting access? “There’s less access to these medicines because first of all, they’re expensive. An ayahuasca ceremony costs 300 to 350 a night,” says Undrea Wright, one of the…

By

Peter J. Rickards

Published

April 19, 2021
Black Dog Lovers? The Complex Relationship Between Black folks and Man’s Best Friend

“We don’t often have the luxury of letting down our guard or showing our emotions unfiltered so whenever I see a Black person who has an intimate or close friendship and companionship with their animal, I think of it as a sweet and subversive gesture.” — Joshunda Sanders, Author text You know those videos where…

By

Peter J. Rickards

Published

February 27, 2021
Black Female Artists Are Taking Over in 2021: The Art Exhibitions You Need to See

This year, many shows will focus on work by Black female artists. The video above features six solo exhibitions debuting at museums across the country, and each represents a significant milestone for the artist. The Root spoke with Victoria Valentine, chief editor and founder of Culture Type, an online platform described as “an essential resource…

By

Peter J. Rickards

Published

February 1, 2021
'The Intersection of Racial Justice and Immigrant Rights': Why Immigration Is an Issue Black Voters Should Care About in 2020

Nana Gyamfi has the 2020 election on the brain, specifically what the future holds for Black immigrant populations in the United States. “If there’s a Biden presidency, you know, I’m expecting that immigrant rights will change based upon the pressure that we provide on the ground, in the streets. What do we do as a…

By

Peter J. Rickards

Published

October 28, 2020

Peter J. Rickards