Tavis Smiley

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Tavis Smiley's Bio: In 2010, Smiley leaves his studio chair in Los Angeles to go on the road to examine some of the country’s most defining moments in four hour-long TAVIS SMILEY REPORTS primetime TV specials. The reports include going behind the scenes with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, examining one of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s greatest speeches, “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence,” and traveling to the streets of New Orleans to mark Hurricane Katrina’s 5th anniversary.

In 2007, Smiley made television histo ry as the moderator and executive producer of the All-American Presidential Forums on PBS, the first Democratic and Republican presidential debates broadcast live in primetime with a panel exclusively comprised of journalists of color.

In addition to his radi o and television work, Smiley has authored fourteen books. His memoir, What I Know for Sure: My Story of Growing Up in America, became a New York Times best seller, and the book he edited, Covenant with Black America, became the first nonfiction book by a Blac k-owned publisher to reach #1 on The New York Times' best-sellers list.

His latest book, Accountable: Making America As Good As Its Promise, examines hard-hitting truths about the issues our country faces and addresses how our political leaders, corporations and, finally, American citizens themselves can enforce accountability and effect change.

TIME magazine honored Smiley in 2009 as one of "The World's 100 Most Influential People." The annual TIME 100 list profiles men and women whose power, talent or moral example has made a significant difference in the world.

In 2009, Smiley released STAND, his first documentary film, which he directed, wrote and produced. STAND shares the experiences of Smiley and ten Black male friends during a special road trip thro ugh Memphis and Nashville. The friends explore the impact of the civil rights movement and the role and relationships of Black men in America against the backdrop of the 2008 presidential race and the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassinat ion.

Smiley is the presenter and creative force behind America I AM: The African American Imprint. This unprecedented traveling museum exhibition, which debuted in January 2009, will tour the country for four years, celebrating the extraordinary impact of Afr ican American contributions to our nation and the world, as told through rare artifacts, memorabilia and multimedia.

The Tavis Smiley Foundation, a nonprofit organization, was established to provide leadership training and development for youth. Since its inc eption, more than 6,000 young people have participated in the foundation's Youth to Leaders training workshops and conferences.

His communications company, The Smiley Group, Inc., is dedicated to supporting human rights and related empowerment issues and serv es as the holding company for various enterprises encompassing broadcast and print media, lectures, symposiums and the Internet.

Smiley's achievements have earned him numerous awards and honorary doctorate degrees, including one from his alma mater, Indiana U niversity. In 2009, Indiana University named the atrium of its School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) building, The Tavis Smiley Atrium. Smiley is also the recipient of the Du Bois Medal from Harvard University and the 2009 Interdependence Day Prize from Demos in Istanbul, Turkey. … Read more