Tavis Smiley, political commentator, author, and host of the Tavis Smiley Show on National Public Radio (NPR) will present "Hard Left: Straight Talk About the Wrongs of the Right" in the Oakland University Meadow Brook Theatre on Friday, January 24, 2003 at 12:00 PM.

Tavis Smiley is the first African American to host his own signature talk show on National Public Radio. Smiley hosts The Smiley Report, heard daily on urban contemporary radio stations across America, and appears twice weekly on the Tom Joyner Morning Show. Mr. Smiley was previously the host of the award-winning BET TONIGHT with Tavis Smiley.

Tavis Smiley has authored six books. His most recent, Keeping the Faith: Stories of Love, Courage, Healing and Hope from Black America, is an inspiring collection of personal narratives about love, loss and faith by African Americans from all walks of life. He is founder of the Tavis Smiley Foundation, a nonprofit organization, whose mission is to encourage, empower and enlighten Black youth. Youth to Leaders (Y2L), the cornerstone program of the foundation, is an annual series of one-day leadership-building conferences that takes place in cities across the United States.

Books by Tavis Smiley at the Oakland University Library

Online full text articles* by Tavis Smiley:

• E-inclusion: An urgent mission. Essence v. 32 no. 11 (March 2002), 186.
• Tavis Smiley on branding yourself. Black Enterprise v. 31 no. 1 (August 2000), 136.
• Interview with Tavis Smiley of Black Entertainment Television. Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents v. 33 no. 32 (August 11, 1997), 1184-1188.

Related Web Sites:

• Tavis Talks (tavistalks.com)
• NPR "The Tavis Smiley Show" Homepage