Tavis Smiley, author, lecturer, television personality and political analyst, has made a career of raising his voice against the wrongs of the American way.  "I just think that people need to be heard from.  Black people specifically need to get more in the habit of writing and calling and faxing and e-mailing, and letting people hear from us Politics is not a spectator sport, he says. One of 10 kids, Smiley has surely mastered the skill of being heard.  His message reaches millions of Americans via radio as the political analyst on The Tom Joyner Morning Show; via television as the host of BET Tonight; via print as the author of ON AIR and HARD LEFT; and via the lecture circuit.  His wit, knowledge and hip vernacular have made him a next generation leader with quite a following, and as you might have guessed, quite a bankroll. 

And even though his cohorts from The Tom Joyner Morning Show rib him often about his success with such gibe as  "Tavis clocking dollars," his is nothing more than an expression of privilege and responsibility.  "Service is the price we pay for the space we occupy.   I tell young people all the time, first educate yourself and read everything. Secondly, recognize that there is a purpose for your being on the planet. Thirdly, use the talent that God has given you and finally once you start making use of that talent to benefit yourself, give something back to your community." 

But how do you find that God-given talent?  For Smiley it's simple: "Ask yourself what is the one thing that you enjoy so much that if you had to do it for free you would?  For example, even if Patti LaBelle weren't getting paid millions of dollars by MCA she would still be somewhere singing.  She loves to sing.  I love to run my mouth.  And even if people weren't paying me to be on BET and paying me to be on Tom Joyner and paying me to write books, I'd be somewhere still running my mouth."

A member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Smiley attended Indiana University on a debate scholarship, no doubt; but surprisingly was an average student.  "I enjoyed the intellectual rigor of going back and forth with professors I was never turned on by the actual process of doing the coursework   I just enjoyed being around people who were smarter than I was and learning and growing.   I did a lot of that during my college years."  Yet despite his modest account of his college career, Smiley was more than average.  While honoring his scholarship as a member of the debate team, he also served actively in student government and worked for both the chancellor and vice president of the university as well as the mayor of Bloomington, IN.  In addition, he adamantly solicited and received an internship with someone he considered "the most high-profile mayor in America," Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley.  And upon graduation Tavis Smiley relocated to Los Angeles to work as part of Bradley's administration.  Later, he would campaign unsuccessfully for a seat on the Los Angeles City Council and find himself at a crossroads.  In an attempt to maintain and strengthen his popularity, Tavis gave birth to "The Smiley Report," and fortuitously found his place on this planet.  A 60-second radio commentary, "The Smiley Report" soon became syndicated and Tavis Smiley became known to many as the "Black Rush Limbaugh."  Mayor Bradley said, "At last, those on the left have a fast-talking champion with fresh ideas to counter the outrageous barbs of the conservatives." 

Smiley signs an autograph for an admiring lady in the audience last year at a book signing in New Orleans.

Truly, Tavis Smiley has found his God-given talent, made well use of it and has given back to his community. But what of those political aspirations?  "I enjoy right now what I'm doing in terms of being able to have an impact on people through radio, through television and through print and of course, being on the lecture circuit I feel I'm making some kind of worthy contribution, I hope."

Well, with a schedule that keeps him in Washington, D.C. part of the week hosting BET Tonight and commentating on The Tom Joyner Morning Show, while touring the  country the latter part of the week, Smiley is doing more than his part all while residing  in Los Angeles. And with this month being Black History Month, things are really  picking up.  "The only thing I'm planning for February is not much sleep," Smiley kids.

"It's a necessary time for us to reflect, to lift up, and to praise those who made  contributions to Black History. But more importantly, it's a time to recognize that there  will be no continuing Black History if we don't do something.  There'll be nothing to  celebrate tomorrow, if we don't do something today, while we're talking about what folk did yesterday."