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R&B Legend Bobby Womack Reported Dead
You could hear the life and the living in Bobby Womack’s voice. He was the gospel-trained son of a preacher man, who climbed back from the depths of addiction, had career highs and lows and was a most cherished protege of the great Sam Cooke. The soulful singer was back in the studio this year…
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5 Examples of Wrongful Convictions in the US
The wrongful convictions of five black and Latino men who have become known as the Central Park Five represent a pattern of racial inequity in the nation’s criminal justice system that is almost as old as the country itself. So great is the problem that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder recently announced plans to tackle the…
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15 Fun World Cup Facts About Team USA
It is impossible to deny soccer’s growing popularity among U.S. fans. An ESPN Sports Poll Annual Report revealed that Major League Soccer is now as popular with American children as Major League Baseball. And according to FIFA, U.S. fans are second to Brazil in the purchase of tickets to this year’s World Cup. As the…
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How Hip-Hop Has Become a Gateway to Black Poetry
Left of Black host Mark Anthony Neal is joined by Elizabeth Alexander to discuss the black art aesthetic, growing recognition for black poets and whether hip-hop is poetry. Alexander—the Thomas E. Donnelley Professor of African American Studies, and a professor of American studies and English, at Yale University—was chosen by President Barack Obama to compose…
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Video: Watch Ruby Dee Shine on the Big Screen
Let these memories of Ruby Dee—who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 91—in roles from Jungle Fever to A Raisin in the Sun remind you of her legendary film career. 1. Do the Right Thing, 1989, Mother Sister 2. Jungle Fever, 1991, Lucinda Purify 3. American Gangster, 2007, Mama Lucas 4. A Raisin in…
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17 Men of Color Who’ll Make You Want to Watch the World Cup in High-Def
Whether or not you’re a fan of soccer, there are some key players in the 2014 FIFA World Cup you might want to keep your eyes on. Whether making goals or on the sidelines, these soccer hotties will keep you on the edge of your seat. Get to know them: 1. Glen Johnson, England Place of birth:…
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What Your Favorite Dance Says About You
It’s summertime, and that means parties, weddings, barbecues, family reunions and, of course, line dancing. What does your favorite dance say about you? 1. Cha-Cha Slide This Chicago dance, created by Chicago artist DJ Casper in 2000, has become a staple at weddings, birthdays, bar mitzvahs, proms, parties—essentially anyplace people have a reason to get…
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James Clyburn Warns of Those Who Are Turning Back the Clock on Racial Progress
There is victory in perseverance. It is the fable about the tortoise’s slow pace being just the pace he needs. It is the religious doctrine that heralds, what comes doesn’t always come when you want it but when you need it. James Clyburn knows this well, having been a child in school during the slow…
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Freedom Summer: If MTV Had Existed in 1964
Someone got the bright idea in 1981 to create an entire channel devoted to music videos and called it Music Television, or MTV—but showing artists performing on TV to sell records has been going on practically since rock and roll, and TV, were invented. As we were looking at ways to mark the 50th…
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How to Have a Sane Black Celeb Wedding: These Stars Did It
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian threw the wedding of the century this past weekend. Not that there’s anything wrong with going international with a ceremony at a sixth-century-era fortress, and having Jaden Smith dress in a Batman suit (photos of which were released practically before the cake was cut). But there are options. These stars…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
