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 was born in Gulfport, Mississippi. Tavis grew up in Bunker Hill, Indiana.

After attending Indiana University, he worked for Tom Bradley. Bradley was the mayor of Los Angeles in the late 1980s.

Smiley became a radio commentator in 1991. From 1996, he hosted BET Talk on Black Entertainment Television (BET). This show was later called BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley. In 2001, his contract with BET ended.

Smiley then 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) from 2004 to 2017. He had another show, The Tavis Smiley Show, on Public Radio International (PRI) during the same period.

His time at PBS ended in December 2017 due to a disagreement. Tavis Smiley is the founder and CEO of SmileyAudioMedia, Inc. This company is based in Los Angeles. Since June 2021, he has been the Chief Visionary Officer for his radio station, KBLA Talk 1580.

Early Life and Family

Tavis Smiley was born in Gulfport, Mississippi. His mother is Joyce Marie Roberts. On his second birthday, September 13, 1966, his mother married Emory Garnell Smiley. Emory was a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force. Tavis later learned about his biological father, whom he calls "T" in his autobiography.

Smiley's family moved to Indiana when his stepfather was transferred. They lived near Grissom Air Force Base in Peru, Indiana. The Smiley family lived in a mobile home in Bunker Hill, Indiana. They had three more children. They also took in four more children after Joyce's sister passed away. Their home became very full, with thirteen people living there. This included Tavis, his seven brothers, two sisters, and three adults.

Smiley's mother was very religious. The family went to the New Bethel Tabernacle Church. This church was part of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World. The Smiley children were not allowed to listen to non-religious music at home. They could not go to the movie theater. They could only watch TV shows their parents approved of.

Tavis became interested in politics when he was 13. He went to a fundraiser for U.S. Senator Birch Bayh. At Maconaquah High School in Bunker Hill, Indiana, Tavis was active. He joined the student council and the debate team. His parents were unsure about non-church activities.

Education Journey

In 1982, Smiley started at Indiana University Bloomington (IU). He began with only $50 and a small suitcase. University staff helped him become a full-time student. After his first year, Tavis worked and took summer classes. He lived off campus with Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball players.

In his second year, Smiley joined the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. He became a business manager for his dorm. He was also a member of the student senate. He directed minority affairs. During his time at IU, Tavis helped lead protests. This was after a friend was killed by police officers.

Smiley had an internship with Bloomington Mayor Tomilea Allison. He wrote letters and researched for the mayor. He also helped write important papers.

Moving to Los Angeles

During his junior year, Smiley visited Los Angeles. He met football star Jim Brown. Brown introduced him to George Hughley. Hughley worked for Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley. Tavis wanted an internship with Mayor Bradley. He wrote letters every week. He even flew to Los Angeles to ask in person.

Eventually, Mayor Bradley called Tavis. He offered him an unpaid internship. The Bloomington Community Progress Council gave Smiley $5,000 for living costs. Jim Brown let Tavis stay at his house for a month. Later, Smiley lived at the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity house. He worked at the Office of Youth Development in City Hall.

Smiley considered leaving college twice. Mayor Bradley encouraged him to finish. Tavis wanted to go to Harvard Law School. He took the LSAT exam. However, he did not finish his degree on time. He failed a required class and did not do well in others. Instead of staying longer, he moved to Los Angeles. He had been promised a job there.

Smiley worked as an aide for Mayor Bradley until 1990. In 2003, Tavis Smiley officially received his degree. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in public affairs from Indiana University.

Career Highlights

Early Radio Work

In 1991, Tavis Smiley ran for a seat on the Los Angeles City Council. He finished fourth among 15 candidates. After this, he became a radio commentator. He broadcast one-minute daily segments called The Smiley Report on KGFJ radio.

He also co-hosted a local talk show in Los Angeles. His strong views on race and politics gained attention. He talked about institutional racism and opportunities for young Black people. His comments focused on current issues affecting the African-American community.

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

Hosting BET Tonight

Also in 1996, Smiley began hosting BET Tonight. This show was on the Black Entertainment Television (BET) network. He interviewed important political figures and celebrities. He discussed topics like racial profiling and police brutality. He also talked about R&B music and Hollywood news.

Leaving BET

Smiley hosted BET Tonight until 2001. His contract was not renewed. Robert L. Johnson, BET's founder, said Smiley had sold an interview to ABC News. He said Smiley did not offer the story to BET first. Smiley said his contract did not require him to do so. He said he offered the story to CBS, which owned BET. He sold it to ABC only after CBS passed. Smiley believed his contract ended because of the publicity he gained.

NPR and PRI Radio Shows

After leaving BET, Smiley hosted a radio talk show on National Public Radio (NPR). The Tavis Smiley Show aired daily from January 2002 to December 2004. It focused on issues of race, diversity, and ethnicity. It often featured guest speakers. Smiley decided not to renew his contract with NPR. He said the network could not reach a more diverse audience.

Smiley then launched a weekly version of his radio program. It was called The Tavis Smiley Show. It started on April 29, 2005. This show was distributed by Public Radio International (PRI). It featured interviews with newsmakers and artists. It aimed to bring diverse perspectives to the airwaves. The show ended in December 2017 after thirteen years.

Moving to PBS Television

Smiley also hosted Tavis Smiley. This was 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 edited by Smiley. It covered topics from education to healthcare. The book became a New York Times Bestseller.

Smiley led two live forums for presidential candidates in 2007. One was for Democrats at Howard University. The other was for Republicans at Morgan State University.

His Show Ends at PBS

In 2017, Tavis Smiley's show on PBS ended. This was due to a disagreement about his contract.

KBLA Radio Today

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

Media Appearances and Awards

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

Smiley also used his role on Joyner's radio show for advocacy. He highlighted unfair practices in media and government. He also supported causes like giving a Congressional Gold Medal to Rosa Parks. Smiley became known as a political commentator. He appeared on shows on MSNBC, ABC, and CNN. He has also appeared on Democracy Now! and Real Time with Bill Maher.

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

In 1999, he started the Tavis Smiley Foundation. This foundation helps develop young leaders. More than 6,500 young people have joined its workshops and conferences.

• 2007: Smiley gave a speech at his old university, Indiana University. The university honored him by naming an atrium after him.
• 2008: Smiley gave a speech at Connecticut College. He received an honorary doctorate there. He also received the Du Bois Medal from Harvard University.
• 2009: Smiley was awarded an honorary doctorate at Langston University. He also received the Interdependence Day Prize from Demos in Istanbul, Turkey.

Images for kids

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

See also

In Spanish: Tavis Smiley para niños