Tavis Smiley and Maya Angelou met in 1986, when he was twenty-one and she was fifty-eight. For the next twenty-eight years, Angelou was a teacher and a maternal figure to Smiley, and they talked often of art, politics, history, music, religion, and race. In My Journey with Maya, Smiley beautifully recounts a friendship filled with conversation that began when he, a recent college graduate and a poor kid from a big family in the Midwest, accompanied the revered writer on a sojourn to Ghana. Smiley stumbled into a relationship with her that shaped his future and affected the man he became. Like a mother to him, she was generous, challenging, and inspirational--as she was to so many. Here he shares his portrait of Angelou--a highly complex individual who left an indelible imprint on American culture.

A gripping tale of personal revolution by a man who went from Crips co-founder to Nobel Peace Prize nominee, author, and antigang activist

When his L.A. neighborhood was threatened by gangbangers, Stanley Tookie Williams and a friend formed the Crips, but what began as protection became worse than the original gangs. From deadly street fights with their rivals to drive-by shootings and stealing cars, the Crips' influence -- and Tookie's reputation -- began to spread across L.A. Soon he was regularly under police surveillance, and, as a result, was arrested often, though always released because the charges did not stick. But in 1981, Tookie was convicted of murdering four people and was sent to death row at San Quentin in Marin County, California.

Tookie maintained his innocence and began to work in earnest to prevent others from following his path. Whether he was creating nationwide peace protocols, discouraging adolescents from joining gangs, or writing books, Tookie worked tirelessly for the rest of his life to end gang violence. Even after his death, his legacy continues, supported by such individuals as Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Snoop Dogg, Jesse Jackson, and many more.

This posthumous edition of "Blue Rage, Black Redemption" features a foreword by Tavis Smiley and an epilogue by Barbara Becnel, which details not only the influence of Tookie's activism but also her eyewitness account of his December 2005 execution, and the inquest that followed.

By turns frightening and enlightening, "Blue Rage, Black Redemption" is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and an invaluable lesson in how rage can be turned into redemption.

Praise for The Unfinished Agenda of Brown V. Board of Education

"My father, Oliver L. Brown, for whom Brown v. Board of Education is named, was a proud member of a group of a few hundred people, across the country, who took risks by taking a stand for what they believed. He died in 1961, just seven years after the case, so he didn't live long enough to know that Brown would become the foundation on which so much of this country's civil and human rights initiatives would rest.
Brown v. Board became important for every citizen, not just African Americans. It shows that the founding documents of our country provided us with sovereign rights that cannot be restricted by state and local governments. That decision impacted the lives of women, persons with disabilities, blacks, whites, Hispanics, Asians, and everyone living in this country.
Brown was significant in attacking the silence. It opened up a dialogue and forced the country to take on greater responsibility; we at every level had to start addressing the issue of race. In many ways, once the dialogue started, we finally began to under stand the depths of racism. This case was about gaining access to educational resources; the resources were and remain where the white children are. The Unfinished Agenda of Brown v. Board of Education is about renewing and continuing the promise of Brown."
-Cheryl Brown Henderson, president of the Brown Foundation for Educational Equity, Excellence, and Research, and daughter of Oliver L. Brown, one of the thirteen plaintiffs in Brown v. Board of Education

Tavis Smiley presents the successor to his two bestselling books, The Covenant of Black America and The Covenant in Action-Accountable will serve as a report card, holding the politicians accountable for what they have promised and holding the community responsible for its actions or inactions. In Accountable, New York Times bestselling author Tavis Smiley addresses two issues: Public officials and the promises they have made regarding issues of concern to the African American community; and holding individuals and communities accountable for the degree to which they have utilized various tools and strategies outlined in his previous books, The Covenant and The Covenant in Action, to effect change. In sum, this book will explore how well the covenant goals have been realized. It explores topics such as healthcare, education, the unequal justice system, and jobs, and it will do so through story-real life examples of how an issue manifests itself on the ground. Accountable will examine the conditions of our present day and the consequences for America if we fail to effect real change within the next two decades. It will make the case for American citizens to be driven by "the cause and not the candidate," and demonstrate the need to hold our politicians and ourselves accountable-because the stakes have never been higher.

Millions have entered poverty as a result of the Great Recession's terrible toll of long-term unemployment. Kristin S. Seefeldt and John D. Graham examine recent trends in poverty and assess the performance of America s "safety net" programs. They consider likely scenarios for future developments and conclude that the well-being of low-income Americans, particularly the working poor, the near poor, and the new poor, is at substantial risk despite economic recovery."

Millions have entered poverty as a result of the Great Recession's terrible toll of long-term unemployment. Kristin S. Seefeldt and John D. Graham examine recent trends in poverty and assess the performance of America s "safety net" programs. They consider likely scenarios for future developments and conclude that the well-being of low-income Americans, particularly the working poor, the near poor, and the new poor, is at substantial risk despite economic recovery."

Record unemployment and rampant corporate avarice, empty houses but homeless families, dwindling opportunities in an increasingly paralyzed nation--these are the realities of 21st-century America, land of the free and home of the new middle class poor. Award-winning broadcaster Tavis Smiley and Dr. Cornel West, one of the nation's leading democratic intellectuals, co-hosts of Public Radio's "Smiley & West," now take on the "P" word--poverty."The Rich and the Rest of Us" is the next step in the journey that began with "The Poverty Tour: A Call to Conscience." Smiley and West's 18-city bus tour gave voice to the plight of impoverished Americans of all races, colors, and creeds. With 150 million Americans persistently poor or near poor, the highest numbers in over five decades, Smiley and West argue that now is the time to confront the underlying conditions of systemic poverty in America before it's too late.By placing the eradication of poverty in the context of the nation's greatest moments of social transformation-- such as the abolition of slavery, woman's suffrage, and the labor and civil rights movements--ending poverty is sure to emerge as America's 21st -century civil rights struggle.As the middle class disappears and the safety net is shredded, Smiley and West, building on the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., ask us to confront our fear and complacency with 12 poverty changing ideas. They challenge us to re-examine our assumptions about poverty in America--what it really is and how to eliminate it now.

An inspiring collection of personal narratives about love, loss, and faith by African Americans from all walks of life, edited and introduced by the popular author, NPR talk-show host, and PrimeTime contributing correspondent Tavis Smiley.

In Keeping the Faith, Tavis Smiley, commentator, advocate, and the author of several acclaimed books, brings together a collection of almost one hundred original accounts drawn from the lives of ordinary African Americans.

Written by African Americans from all walks of life, with a sprinkling of more famous individuals (Cornel West, Iyanla Vanzant, Danny Glover, and eight stories from Tavis himself), the stories, reminiscences, and testimonies in Keeping the Faith share lessons learned about family, heritage, and the celebration of black culture, illuminating moments that touched the contributors' lives in special ways. Organized into specific themes, the book explores such vital topics as black love, overcoming challenges, grief and loss, healing and hope. Smiley provides a heartfelt story of his own to each chapter, revealing insights from his own life.

A stirring celebration of the abiding and profound inner strength, passion, and spirituality that nurture and sustain so much of the African American community, Keeping the Faith is a book of affirmation and inspiration for all.


From the Hardcover edition.

Reclaim Your Power! A 30-Day Guide to Hope, Healing, and Inspiration for Men of Color is a compact but powerful book in which community philanthropist Terrance Dean provides men of color with meaningful, spiritual meditations that can be practiced anywhere at any time. Quotations and exercises further build upon the daily lessons in the book. Among them: Listen; Be Still; Can’t No One Stop You but You; Faith; Have Integrity; and Move, Mountain, Get out of My Way!

“It’s no accident that you have this book in your hands,” writes Dean in his Introduction. “You or someone you know has thought enough about you to get you started or help you remember your connection to Spirit. Know that everything is divinely created and that you are meant to be here, right now, at this time, to become aware of your greatness. I encourage you to read this book and be open to its message.”

Reclaim Your Power! is designed to help men discover their own source of healing, hope, and inspiration—one cannot help but feel empowered after reading this book!

This inspirational book is a collection of the best advice Tavis Smiley has ever received. Movie stars like Annette Bening, musicians such as Vanessa Williams, and Tavis&#8217s friends, such as Cornel West offer serious, practical, and humorous advice on everything from relationships, careers and money . . . to improving your character, overcoming obstacles, and realizing your dreams. Based on Tavis&#8217s belief that while you can be successful without being great, you can&#8217t be great without being successful . . . this book is designed to enlighten, encourage, and empower you!