Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Sughnen Yongo is a Midwest writer covering Black women, pop culture. (L-R) Deja Vu, Tarriona 'Tank' Ball, Jada Young and Shannon ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Sughnen Yongo is a Midwest writer covering Black women, pop culture. The internet, never one to wait for context, responded with ...

New Orleans was once again the epicenter of Black culture, creativity, and community during the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture® presented by Coca-Cola®. Over the Fourth of July weekend, stars from ...

The 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture® presented by Coca-Cola® is back in the heart of New Orleans this July 4th weekend—and it’s bigger than ever. As ESSENCE Magazine celebrates its 55th anniversary, ...

I’ve heard the whispers on Beyoncé’s internet, the murmurs suggesting that Essence Festival has somehow lost its “essence.” And while it’s true that the experience has evolved, and there’s always room ...

The final night of ESSENCE Festival 2025 was nothing short of a fever dream. The kind of once-in-a-lifetime lineup where legends you never imagined seeing under one roof all stepped out and showed out ...

This story was originally published in ESSENCE’s special 55th anniversary July/August 2025 issue, on stands now. When ESSENCE magazine’s inaugural issue was released in May of 1970, it stood alone in ...