Tavis Smiley

Founder and CEO of The CLJackson Group, Crystal L. Jackson joins Tavis in-studio to share her journey from teen mom to global entrepreneur and introduce The READY Life, a strategic business platform designed to develop leaders, transform organizations and help them build on purpose and thrive.

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Adolph Reed, Jr., professor emeritus of political science at the University of Pennsylvania and author, returns to discuss Iraq’s Sovereignty Day as U.S. forces leave the country and the races Black voters should be watching in this year’s midterms.

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GRAMMY-nominated poet, acclaimed journalist, humanitarian and author Kevin Powell talks about his 17th book and fourth poetry collection, A Poem for Evangeline, And Other Songs, a series of love letters to his wife and a sacred poetic manifesto for America and humanity. 

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Tavis recaps last weekend’s historic “California Voices Town Hall & Ballot Forum” with his colleagues and co-moderators of the event, which was broadcast live on C-SPAN, Nii-Quartelai Quartey and Dominique DiPrima. 

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Civil rights attorney and activist Connie Rice shares her analysis of trending political topics.

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Acclaimed Jamaican-American master of jazz piano Monty Alexander, best known for his distinct blend of bebop, blues and gospel with the vibrant rhythms of reggae and calypso, joins Tavis for a conversation spanning his seven-decade career. 

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Denver mayoral candidate, city councilwoman and Democratic Socialist Shontel M. Lewis talks about her proposal for a “labor acknowledgment” for enslaved people at the start of city council meetings, the response to the proposal and its subsequent withdrawal.

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Tevon Blair, co-founder of Xceleader (pronounced EXCEL LEADER), talks about the work of his nonprofit, which is focused on closing the leadership gap from campuses to communities and beyond through their VOTE HBCU campaign.

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John Nichols, executive editor of The Nation magazine, shares his thoughts about the botched Tennessee execution of Christa Pike and other trending political topics. 

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Attorney, investor, and restaurateur Kevin Kelley gives Tavis the scoop on his growing food and nightlife empire and what’s next for the hospitality mogul.

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Danish actress, writer, director, and filmmaker Maria Sten talks about her starring role as former Army Master Sergeant Frances Neagley on the Reacher spinoff series Neagley, the #1 show on Amazon Prime, surpassing its predecessor.

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Reginald Dwayne Betts, poet, lawyer, and Founder & CEO of Freedom Reads, shares his incredible story from jail to Yale and why he believes having libraries inside prisons is a form of freedom. He also discusses his documentary March Forth and his mission to bring books and libraries to people in prison.

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Tavis pulls back the curtain on the California Voices Town Hall & Ballot Forum with major updates. 

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Austin Sarat, attorney, writer, and professor, gives his analysis on the Supreme Court allowing Trump’s “third country” deportation policy and other trending political topics.

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Award-winning actress, model, director, and producer Meagan Good joins Tavis in studio to discuss her latest role as District Attorney Regina Harris in the upcoming fourth season of Hulu’s hit legal drama Reasonable Doubt and her noteworthy career.

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Former police officer, author, and conservative commentator Brandon Tatum explains why he doesn’t think race is a factor in the tragic death of Nolan Wells.

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Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Presidential Penn Compact Professor of Africana Studies at UPenn, Marcia Chatelain, talks about her latest book, How Bright the Path Grows: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the March on Washington, which tells the story of thirteen pioneering Black women who were seen but barely heard at the march.

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Philosopher, professor of critical race theory, and legal analyst Tim Golden gives his analysis of trending political topics.

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Tavis has a special election conversation with South Carolina Democratic Congressman James Clyburn and California Democratic Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove about what’s at stake for this year’s midterms.

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Juan Proaño, CEO of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), shares why he believes the Paramount-Warner merger will “hurt Hollywood and people of color.”

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Scholar, distinguished professor, author, leading public intellectual, and special contributor Dr. Cornel West shares his thoughts about race, politics, social justice, and more.

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Minneapolis civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network, Nekima Levy Armstrong gives her analysis of trending political topics.

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Emmy Award-winning actress, singer, dancer, and director Jasmine Guy talks about the A Different World reboot streaming today on Netflix and her distinguished career.

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Politics and policy columnist for Bloomberg Opinion Erika D. Smith talks about the latest polling in the heated L.A. mayor’s race, why Congress should follow California’s lead on AI laws, and more.

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Civil rights attorney and activist Connie Rice shares her thoughts on conservative federal Judge Michael Luttig’s view that this upcoming midterm election is the “final battle for America’s democracy.”

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Danielle Moodie, CEO and founder of DAM Media Strategies and host of The Danielle Moodie Show on YouTube, gives her analysis of trending political topics.

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Retired U.N. diplomat, professor, and the first U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan under the Obama administration, Susan Page shares her thoughts on the relationship between the U.S. and the global community, the latest on the Sudan humanitarian crisis, and more.

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Dr. Cornel West, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chair at Union Theological Seminary, celebrates John Coltrane’s 100th birthday in this special first-hour, Wednesday edition of Smiley & West.    

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Civil rights attorney Ben Crump talked to Tavis with a reaction to the verdict of the Nolan Wells case. 

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Actress, comedian, and activist Tisha Campbell talks about her personal journey with autism and her new book, The A Word: A Mother’s Journey Through Autism and Love, as she advocates for awareness and inclusion for families navigating similar challenges.

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Senior reporter and writer of The False Flag newsletter for The Bulwark and author of Trust the Plan: The Rise of QAnon and the Conspiracy That Unhinged America, Will Sommer talks about Trump’s press ban, why the latest right-wing revolt against Markwayne Mullin is the wildest yet, and more.

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Host of the Bad Faith podcast and former National Press Secretary for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, Briahna Joy Gray gives her analysis of trending political topics.

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Howard Dean’s presidential campaign manager, veteran Democratic political strategist, and online grassroots pioneer Joe Trippi shares his thoughts on the possibility of a Blue wave in November and whether Democrats can meet the moment.

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Retired conservative federal judge J. Michael Luttig explains why he believes we are in the final battle for America’s democracy as the U.S. “sleepwalks” toward another January 6th.

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Scholar, distinguished professor, author, leading public intellectual, and special contributor Dr. Cornel West shares his thoughts about race, politics, social justice, and more.

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Social justice leader, host of the monthly digital series Freedom Table, and author of From Presence to Power: How to Take On the Fights That Matter – and Win, Rashad Robinson gives his analysis of trending political topics.

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Former U.S. Congressman and former director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Melvin “Mel” Watt talks about his family’s unbroken 200-year journey from an enslaved ancestor captured in West Africa to the halls of American power in his new book, The Sixth Generation: The Autobiography of Melvin Watt

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Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium CEO Chanceé Lundy and Co-Founder LaTosha Brown discuss tackling issues affecting Black women and girls as they embark on a nine-city Joy and Justice Tour across the South, addressing violence, unemployment, maternal and holistic health, and attacks on Black women’s political leadership.

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Michigan State Senator Sarah Anthony shares her thoughts about the impact of Black voters in the closely watched Michigan midterm and the role of Black lawmakers in this political moment.

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Scholar, distinguished professor, author, leading public intellectual, and special contributor Dr. Cornel West shares his thoughts about politics, social justice, history, and more.

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