How to Make Black America Better: Leading African Americans Speak Out

by Tavis Smiley (Compiler)

Issuing a powerful call for constructive social action, the popular radio and television commentator Tavis Smiley has assembled the voices of leading African American artists, intellectuals, and politicians from Chuck D to Cornel West to Maxine Waters. How to Make Black America Better takes a pragmatic, solutions-oriented approach that includes Smiley’s own ten challenges to the African American community.

Smiley and his contributors stress the family tie, the power of community networks, the promise of education, and the leverage of black economic and political strength in shaping a new vision of America. Encouraging African Americans to realize the potential of their own leadership and to work collectively from the bottom up, the selections offer new ideas for addressing vital issues facing black communities. Featuring original essays by some of our most important thinkers, How to Make Black America Better is an essential book for anyone concerned with the status of African Americans today.

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Tavis Smiley is an American talk show host and author. Smiley was born in Gulfport, Mississippi, and grew up in Bunker Hill, Indiana. After attending Indiana University, he worked during the late 1980s as an aide to Tom Bradley, the mayor of Los Angeles.
Smiley became a radio commentator in 1991 and, starting in 1996, he hosted the talk show BET Talk (later renamed BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley) on Black Entertainment Television (BET). After Smiley sold an exclusive interview of Sara Jane Olson to ABC News in 2001, BET declined to renew his contract that year. Smiley then began hosting The Tavis Smiley Show on National Public Radio (NPR) (2002–04) and hosted Tavis Smiley on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) on weekdays and The Tavis Smiley Show on Public Radio International (PRI) from 2004 until 2017.
Smiley had an employment dispute with PBS in December 2017 which resulted in his suing PBS for wrongful termination. Smiley is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SmileyAudioMedia, Inc. headquartered in Los Angeles. Since June 2021 he has served as Chief Visionary Officer for his radio station, KBLA Talk 1580.

Reviews

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read

Good book that details the actions and reactions that need to take place in order to have lasting change. I loved the different perspectives that challenged the walk of African Americans today, but at the same time presented guidance on preparing generations to take their rightful place.

[Porsha Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a book that encourages Black America as a whole. Like Tavis Smiley asserted in the book, "While America does owe us something, we owe each other far more." Reading this book allowed me to feel accomplished, almost as every word was directed exclusively to me. In the book, there was discussion of HBCU's (historically black colleges & universities), as a student of CAU, a HBCU...it was uplifting to know that I am doing my part to better black America, towards the end there was plenty dialogue between some powerful men & women who gave insight on the current state of Black America and solutions for the betterment of black people. In essence, GREATTTT BOOK! Encourage everyone to read!

[BossLadySdotD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read!Inspirational!