Several years ago, I found myself at a crossroads in my life. If not for a helping hand at just the right time, I might not be here to offer these words of advice and encouragement. I definitely fit the description of an “at risk” youngster. I was an inner-city tough guy. That was […]
February is Black History Month, an appropriate time to focus on the Black Church in America. There have been competing views as to its role. Most scholars regard it as the major source of strength and endurance through centuries of repression, emerging after World War II as the principal leader in the modern struggle […]
In the midst of talking black history with Grammy-winning singer Alicia Keys, Maya Angelou breaks out singing a hymn a cappella. The acclaimed poet and author wants to show Keys, a New Yorker, what “lining out,” call-and-response singing that is popular in black churches down South, sounds like. That teaching moment is one of many […]
Star Ivy Couch tells The Root that her reality show about pastors’ wives has a message for everyone. Blacks in reality television have been front and center in the news, with the recent controversies surrounding Love & Hip Hop New York, The Best Damn Funeral Ever and the recently canceled show All My Babies’ Mamas. In the midst of […]
Magical and intense–that is how I describe the night Barak Obama became our nation’s first African-American President I wept as he crossed the line from being a dream of our ancestors into a reality of our nation’s great, but sullied, history. I was stunned that a Black President was elected in my lifetime, but that night […]
What are the pros and cons of attending a Megachurch? Is it even worth it? Some reasons why people avoid large churches. The million dollar question: Should I attend a megachurch? Christians fall on both sides of the debate. Let’s begin with a definition. Most define a megachurch as a congregation with more than 2,000 members. […]
Did your kids moan that winter break was way too short as you got them ready for the first day back in school? They might get their wish of more holiday time off under proposals catching on around the country to lengthen the school year. But there’s a catch: a much shorter summer vacation. Education Secretary […]
At this point, most black people with an Internet connection have heard the news that the Oxygen network has a new reality show in the pipeline that revolves around G-Unit rapper Shawty Lo and the relationships he has with the ten mothers of his eleven children. The public outcry in response to the press release […]
It seems like a troubling trend: Racists targeting black women in the media. The recent hate-filled note written to Jemele Hill began this way: “Hell, I don’t like women broadcasters to begin with, yet alone bitch jungle bunnies …this “spear chucker needs to go away.” “Get her outa here before she back-slides into some ebonics […]
A recent report comparing the experiences of Caucasian and African American homeless youth describes stark differences between how those two groups seek and access support services, including the key finding that African American youth are less likely to self-identify as homeless, suggesting their numbers may be larger than previously believed.The implication for homeless service providers, […]
It’s 2013, and even though it’s been thrown in our faces for the last three weeks, one of us will still write 1-3-12 on a check. It’ s just one of those things that can’t be avoided. And speaking of writing checks and spending money, let’s not get reeled in on any more sales gimmicks. […]
Just like sodas and potato chips, Philadelphia high school students will soon be able to access condoms through a dispenser. Over 22 schools are implementing the machines hoping to curb an epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases among teens as young as 14. The clear plastic dispensers will be placed in nurses offices where experts say […]
