Printable Biography of Tavis Smiley

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From his celebrated conversations with world figures, to his work to inspire the next generation of leaders, as a broadcaster, author, advocate and philanthropist, Tavis Smiley continues to be an outstanding voice for change.

Newsweek profiled him as one of the “20 people changing how Americans get their news” and dubbed him one of the nation’s “captains of the airwaves.”

Smiley hosts the late night television talk show, Tavis Smiley, on PBS, and his radio show, The Tavis Smiley Show, is distributed by Public Radio International (PRI). Smiley is the first American ever to simultaneously host signature talk shows on both public television and public radio.

Smiley, who started his career as an aide to the late Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley, also offers political commentary twice weekly on the Tom Joyner Morning Show. In addition, he has authored ten books. Smiley made publishing history when the book he edited, The Covenant with Black America, reached #1 on The New York Times Best Seller list. His latest book, What I Know for Sure: My Story of Growing Up in America (Doubleday), also made The New York Times Best Seller list.

In 2004, Texas Southern University (TSU) honored Smiley with the opening of The Tavis Smiley School of Communications and The Tavis Smiley Center for Professional Media Studies, making him the youngest African American to ever have a professional school and center named after him on a college or university campus. Smiley cemented his commitment to TSU with a $1 million gift to the Center.

The mission of his nonprofit organization—Tavis Smiley Foundation—is to enlighten, encourage and empower Black youth. Tavis Smiley Presents, a subsidiary of The Smiley Group, Inc., brings ideas and people together through symposiums, seminars, forums and town hall meetings.

Smiley has received numerous awards and honorary doctorate degrees, including one from his alma mater, Indiana University. Time selected Smiley as one of America’s 50 most promising young leaders, Newsweek profiled him as one of the “20 people changing how Americans get their news” and dubbed him one of the nation’s “captains of the airwaves,” and Vanity Fair inducted him into their Hall of Fame.

One of ten children, Smiley is single and lives in Los Angeles. In his spare time, he enjoys a good game of Scrabble with friends.

Topics

• Diversity and Multiculturalism
• Youth Leadership Development
• Inspiration and Motivation
• Current Events and Politics