Enduring Myths, Quick Hits / October 20, 2020 The Tragic Outcome of the Myth “Black People Can’t Swim”

By Samantha Chaney Many Americans reminisce about the summers of their childhood when they back stroked through the deep end of their backyard pool or horsed around in a neighborhood public pool. However, many Black children never had an opportunity to create those memories. Lack of access to facilities has left many Black people unable...

Quick Hits, Technology / November 11, 2019 ‘Urban Dictionary’ Gives a Whole New Meaning to Some Choice Words

By Danielle Robinson Have you ever read something online that contained a word that you didn’t quite know the meaning of? Or maybe you’ve heard a friend use a term that seemed completely out of context. Well, you’re not alone in your confusion. Urbandictionary.com is a crowdsourced website created to give meaning to slang terminology,...

Quick Hits, Religion / November 11, 2019 Black Millennials May Be Leaving the Church, But Not the Faith

Lukas Hartmann/Pexels By Rebecca Johnson Millennials across all races are attending church less, but black millennials’ church attendance has gone down the least out of all racial groups, according to a Pew Research Center study.  Thirty-eight percent of black millennials attend church on a weekly basis, which is 12 percentage points lower than older black...

A&E, Music, Quick Hits / November 11, 2019 Amid the Music Streaming Rush, a Vinyl Revival

By Spencer Green After nearly vanishing from store shelves and most households, vinyl records are making a strong comeback.   More than 16 million vinyl albums were sold in the U.S. in 2018, producing vinyl’s highest total revenue in 30 years, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Of course, the $419 million...

Fact-Checks, Quick Hits / November 5, 2019 Has Daylight Saving Time Outlived Its Usefulness?

By Josyana Joshua This week, most of the United States moved their clocks back one hour as Daylight Saving Time ended. People look forward to getting that extra hour of sleep in the fall, and they complain about losing an hour in the spring, even though they gain an extra hour of sunlight. But where...

Quick Hits

As the Floodwaters Rose, So Did Some Retailers’ Prices
News, Quick Hits

As the Floodwaters Rose, So Did Some Retailers’ Prices

After nearly every major disaster, there are reports of businesses taking advantage of desperate and dazed consumers, jacking prices up by two or three times the normal cost for the basics. This year was no different. In the wake of hurricanes Harvey, Irma and, most recently, Maria, thousands of complaints of price gouging followed. Soon…

Is It Time to Put Down Soul Food?
News, Quick Hits

Is It Time to Put Down Soul Food?

By Tyler Brady WASHINGTON — As we enjoy the holiday season, Americans will be involved in two of their favorite seasonal activities– shopping and eating. It is the time to dine on many of those dishes primarily reserved for this time of the year, and for black Americans, it is a chance to indulge in…

What Were Those Green Berets Doing in Niger?
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What Were Those Green Berets Doing in Niger?

  By Kiana Kisino After four American troops were killed in Niger this month, President Donald Trump faced backlash for telling the widow of one of the soldiers that her husband “knew what he signed up for.” Since then, questions have been raised about the U.S. presence in Niger. • Why are U.S. troops even…

What You Should Know About the Iran Nuclear Deal
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What You Should Know About the Iran Nuclear Deal

By Niaja Smith WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is threatening to pull the United States out of the historic deal that it and more than two dozen other countries negotiated under former President Barack Obama to halt Iran’s efforts to build nuclear weapons. Speaking to the United Nations this week, Trump called the agreement “an…

How ‘Fences’ Was Built
A&E, Fact-Checks, Quick Hits

How ‘Fences’ Was Built

Denzel Washington’s film adaptation of August Wilson’s “Fences,” which premiers on Christmas Day, is being praised as an original remake of the Broadway play. However, this story has been an essential work in American theater for more than 30 years, and it didn’t originate with Washington. Oscar-winning actor James Earl Jones originally portrayed Troy Maxson,…

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