Tavis Smiley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tavis Smiley
Smiley in 2022
Born	(1964-09-13) September 13, 1964 (age 60) Gulfport, Mississippi, U.S.
Education	Indiana University (B.A., public affairs, 2003) Maconaquah High School
Occupation	Talk show host author
Years active	1991–present
Notable credit(s)	Tavis Smiley host KBLA Talk 1580 (2021–present) Tavis Smiley host PBS (2004–2017) The Tavis Smiley Show from PRI (radio) host (2005–2017) Smiley & West co-host (2010–2013) BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley host (1996–2001)

Tavis Smiley (born September 13, 1964) is an American talk show host and author. He is known for hosting his own shows on TV and radio. Smiley was born in Gulfport, Mississippi, and grew up in Bunker Hill, Indiana.

After attending Indiana University, he worked for Tom Bradley, who was the mayor of Los Angeles. Smiley became a radio commentator in 1991. He hosted BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley on Black Entertainment Television (BET) from 1996 to 2001.

Later, Smiley hosted The Tavis Smiley Show on National Public Radio (NPR) from 2002 to 2004. He also hosted Tavis Smiley on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and The Tavis Smiley Show on Public Radio International (PRI) from 2004 until 2017. Since June 2021, he has been a leader at his radio station, KBLA Talk 1580.

Early Life and Family

Tavis Smiley was born in Gulfport, Mississippi. His mother, Joyce Marie Roberts, married Emory Garnell Smiley when Tavis was two years old. Emory was in the U.S. Air Force. Tavis later learned about his biological father.

Smiley's family moved to Indiana when his stepfather was transferred to Grissom Air Force Base. They lived in a mobile home in Bunker Hill, Indiana. The family grew to include thirteen people, with Tavis, his seven brothers, two sisters, and three adults.

His mother was very religious. The family attended the New Bethel Tabernacle Church. The children were not allowed to listen to certain music or go to the movie theater. They could only watch TV shows their parents approved.

When Tavis was in seventh grade, there was a difficult situation at Sunday School. This led to Tavis and his sister Phyllis being temporarily sent to foster care. The local newspaper reported on the event.

Smiley became interested in politics when he was 13. He attended a fundraiser for U.S. Senator Birch Bayh. At Maconaquah High School, he was active in the student council and the debate team.

Education and Early Career

In 1982, Smiley started at Indiana University Bloomington (IU). He began college with very little money. He worked and took summer classes. During his second year, he joined the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. He also became a business manager for his dorm and a member of the student senate.

Smiley became involved in protests after a friend was killed by police officers. These protests led him to an internship with Bloomington Mayor Tomilea Allison. He helped the mayor by writing letters and researching local issues.

Later, Smiley wanted an internship with Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley. He wrote many letters and even flew to Los Angeles to ask for the job. Eventually, Mayor Bradley offered him an unpaid internship. The Bloomington Community Progress Council helped fund his living expenses.

Smiley considered leaving college twice but Mayor Bradley encouraged him to finish. He planned to go to law school. However, he did not graduate on time because he struggled in some classes. He decided to move to Los Angeles for a job. He worked as an aide to Mayor Bradley until 1990. In 2003, Tavis Smiley officially received his degree in public affairs from Indiana University.

Media Career

Radio Work

In 1991, Tavis Smiley ran for a seat on the Los Angeles City Council. After that, he became a radio commentator. He broadcast daily one-minute segments called The Smiley Report. He also co-hosted a local talk show in Los Angeles. His strong opinions on race and politics gained attention.

Smiley with historian Jon Wiener on his political podcast entitled Start Making Sense in 2015

From 2010 to 2013, Smiley and Cornel West hosted their own radio talk show, Smiley & West. They also appeared together in the 2009 documentary film Still Bill. Smiley also hosted Tavis Talks on BlogTalkRadio. In 1996, he became a regular commentator on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, a popular radio show.

BET Tonight Show

Also in 1996, Smiley began hosting and producing BET Tonight on the Black Entertainment Television (BET) network. This show discussed public affairs. He interviewed important political figures and celebrities. He talked about topics like racial profiling and police brutality, as well as music and Hollywood news.

Leaving BET

Smiley hosted BET Tonight until 2001. At that time, BET decided not to renew his contract. This caused a disagreement. The founder of BET, Robert L. Johnson, said Smiley had sold an exclusive interview to ABC News without offering it to BET first. Smiley said he had offered the interview to CBS, which was also owned by Viacom, before selling it to ABC. He felt his contract was ended because of the publicity he gained.

NPR Talk Show

After leaving BET, Smiley was offered a chance to host a radio talk show on National Public Radio (NPR). The Tavis Smiley Show was broadcast daily from January 2002 to December 2004. The show focused on issues of race, diversity, and ethnicity. It often featured guest speakers.

Smiley Leaves NPR

Smiley decided not to renew his contract with NPR in 2004. He launched a weekly version of his radio program, The Tavis Smiley Show, on April 29, 2005. This show was distributed by Public Radio International (PRI). It was a one-hour weekly program with interviews. The show ended in December 2017 after thirteen years.

Move to PBS

Smiley also hosted Tavis Smiley, a late-night talk show on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) network. In March 2006, The Smiley Group published The Covenant with Black America. This book was a collection of essays by black scholars and professionals, edited by Smiley. It became a New York Times Bestseller.

Smiley led two live presidential candidate forums in 2007. One was for Democratic candidates and the other for Republican candidates.

Dancing with the Stars

On September 4, 2014, it was announced that Smiley would compete on the 19th season of Dancing with the Stars. He danced with professional dancer Sharna Burgess. They were eliminated in the second week of the competition.

Show Ends on PBS

In 2017, Tavis Smiley's show on PBS ended due to a disagreement.

KBLA Radio

Since 2021, Smiley hosts a radio show on KBLA Talk 1580. He also hosts the Tavis Smiley Podcast with KBLA.

Other Media Appearances

In 2000, Tavis Smiley began hosting annual town hall meetings called "The State of the Black Union." These meetings were shown live on the C-SPAN cable television network. Each meeting focused on a specific topic affecting the African-American community. They featured a panel of African-American leaders and experts.

Smiley also used his role on the Joyner radio show to start campaigns. These campaigns highlighted unfair practices in media and government. He also helped gather support for causes like giving a Congressional Gold Medal to civil rights hero Rosa Parks. Smiley became known as a political commentator. He appeared on shows on MSNBC, ABC, and CNN.

Awards and Recognition

Smiley received the NAACP Image Award for best news, talk, or information series for three years in a row (1997–1999) for his work on BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley. He also received the Mickey Leland Humanitarian Award.

In 1999, he started the Tavis Smiley Foundation. This foundation helps fund programs that develop young leaders. More than 6,500 young people have taken part in the foundation's workshops and conferences.

• 2007: Smiley gave a speech at his old university, Indiana University. The university honored him by naming part of its School of Public and Environmental Affairs building "The Tavis Smiley Atrium."
• 2008: Smiley gave a speech at Connecticut College and received an honorary doctorate. He also received the Du Bois Medal from Harvard University's W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research.
• 2009: Smiley received an honorary doctorate from Langston University after giving a speech there. He also won the 2009 Interdependence Day Prize from Demos in Istanbul, Turkey.

See also

In Spanish: Tavis Smiley para niños