Tavis Smiley

Marique Moss, Afro-Indigenous educator, cultural strategist, and small business owner, takes us inside her delicious debut book, “Sweetgrass and Soul Food: A Memoir in Poems,” which even comes with its own soundtrack!https://open.spotify.com/playlist/68gSmGehcZVfX6tnD78874Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Basil Watson reveals the inspiration behind his sculpture of escaped slave and South Carolina lawmaker Robert Smalls, which will become the first statue of a Black individual in the State House.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Associate Professor and Founding Director of The Race, Politics, and Policy Center at George Mason University, Dr Michael K. Fauntroy talks about Trump's attack on diversity and Black leadership at George Mason University and the Voting Rights Act at 60 years old. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Victoria Chege, one of the thousands of federal employees who were laid off via email last February, tells us why her TikTok protest videos are gaining traction and how these cuts will devastate services in Black communities.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) unveils his “bicameral, bicoastal” resolution to recognize August 11, 2025, as “Hip Hop Celebration Day” and responds to the latest news from Capitol Hill.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Lindsey Stewart, Black feminist philosopher and an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Memphis, talks about her new book, "The Conjuring of America: Mojos, Mermaids, Medicine and 400 Years of Black Women's Magic" and how Black women's ancestral spiritual beliefs forged a secret well of health and power for modern America.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams joins Tavis to talk about the midtown Manhattan shooting, his re-election campaign and Housing Week in NYC.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Public intellectual, professor and author Dr. Cornel West shares his thoughts about the upcoming 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act and why we must know the truth, regardless of attempts to delete history.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

The Nation magazine's editorial director and publisher Katrina vanden Heuvel gives her analysis about the future of public broadcasting, Gaza and other trending political topics.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Marc Morial, former New Orleans mayor and now president of the National Urban League, tells us why Black America is in a State of Emergency with the Trump administration.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

John E. Jacob, former president of the National Urban League and author of his new memoir, “I Will F.E.A.R. No Evil,” takes us back to 1980 when candidate Ronald Reagan addressed the Urban League's convention, two days after his seminal Philadelphia, Miss. speech.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Former U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) joins Tavis from the studios of WVON in Chicago to talk about the new memorials and walking tour honoring the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, which he found with Fred Hampton.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Public intellectual, professor and author Dr. Cornel West, shares his thoughts about Vice President Kamala Harris' announcement, starvation in Gaza and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Founder of Repairers of The Breach and Moral Mondays, Bishop William Barber, talks about the latest about the Texas redistricting controversy and their latest moral movement campaign.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Connie Rice, civil rights attorney and co-founder of the Urban Peace Institute shares her analysis about Former Vice President Kamala Harris announcing she won't run for governor of the Golden State and what it means for California and the country.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Cllr. Dr. Lilian Seenoi-Barr, who became Northern Ireland's first Black mayor in the city of Derry last year, shares the good, the bad, and the ugly part of being Black in the occupied territories controlled by the British government.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Des Lee, musician and author of “My Saxophone Saved My Life: The Miami Showband Massacre and My Quest for Answers" tells us how he survived the Miami Showband Massacre 50 years ago this Thursday (July 31, 1975) and connects the dots to the far-right gangsters burning racist bonfires in Northern Ireland this month.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Ernie Suggs, Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter and author of "The Many Lives of Andrew Young," talks about Ronald Reagan historic “states rights” speech in Philadelphia, Mississippi 45 years ago; where the presidential candidate appealed to white supremacists, mere miles from the murder site of civil right workers, Schwerner, Chaney and Goodman.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Mark Barabak, political columnist for the Los Angeles Times, is back with details on Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA)'s redistricting plan and his state's summer of discontent.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Professor, author and founder of the nonprofit Economic Education, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, gives her analysis about the reign of terror of ICE raids and other trending political topics.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Roye Okupe, founder of YouNeek Studios, takes us inside “Iyanu”, the #1 series on The Cartoon Network, and tells us about his highly-anticipated San Diego Comic-Con appearance this past weekend.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Interim Executive Director of the Providence Foundation, Dexter Hall, talks about the impact of Trump's recent executive order on homelessness and the risks of criminalizing those who suffer from poverty, mental illness and addiction.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

CEO of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, discusses why Black workers don't have the privilege to wait for a new Congress or President to gain economic justice along with other trending political news.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Christopher Sebastian Parker, UC Santa Barbara Professor and Founder and CEO of Black Insights Research, gives his take on Trump accusing former President Obama of treason, how Black voters are preparing for the 2026 elections and other trending political news.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Classically trained keyboardist, musical director, and nephew of gospel legend Andrae Crouch, Kenneth Crouch, joins Tavis in the studio for a career conversation about his backstory, the impact of jazz and gospel on his life, and what he wants his musical legacy to be.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Derek Mobley, a 40-something Black man with disabilities, talks about A.I. bias and his class action lawsuit against software vendor Workday, Inc. for alleged discrimination by its hiring algorithm.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Scholar, leading public intellectual, author, and special contributor, Dr. Cornel West, shares his analysis on France recognizing Palestinian statehood and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Christopher Sebastian Parker, UC Santa Barbara Professor and Founder and CEO of Black Insights Research, gives his take on Trump accusing former President Obama of treason, how Black voters are preparing for the 2026 elections and other trending political news.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Congresswoman Summer Lee of Pennsylvania join Tavis SmileyBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

USC professor, Marcus Anthony Hunter joins Tavis Smiley to talk about this political moment and reparations. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Genesis Robinson, executive director of Equal Ground, updates us on the recent Florida Supreme Court decision that has “turned its back on Black voters.”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Public intellectual, professor, and author Dr. Cornel West, shares his thoughts about the release of the Dr. King files, the Breonna Taylor case, and what's next in the fight for civil rights.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

John Nichols, the National Affairs Correspondent for The Nation magazine, talks about the future of progressivism and other trending political topics.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Luenell is back in studio to talk about her recent sold-out show at the Apollo, her hilarious role in the Emmy-winning series “Hacks,” and a preview of her new So Cal residency called “That Time of the Month.”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Mychal Denzel Smith, author of the New York Times bestseller “Invisible Man, Got the Whole World Watching” and “Stakes Is High,” takes us inside his new piece for the Intercept about “the Black vote” in the NYC mayoral race.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Kristen Soltis Anderson, noted pollster for Echelon Insights and author of the newsletter “Codebook,” gives us a big-picture look at the numbers and trends for the Trump presidency six months after his return to the White House.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Ozzie Smith, Hall of Fame shortstop, goes inside “The Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball,” a Smithsonian exhibit he helped create, and previews this year's inductees ahead of this weekend's Hall of Fame ceremony.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Thai Floyd from Alabama A&M takes us inside her dream job as the first full-time female voice of an HBCU football program, starting with the season opener against Arkansas next month.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Patrick Kennedy, former member of Congress for 16 years and the youngest child of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, shares his latest book “Profiles in Mental Health Courage,” thoughts on new evidence in the assassination of his uncle JFK, and the family's feelings about his cousin RFK Jr.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Tavis remembers actor and musician Malcolm-Jamal Warner, reprising their last public conversation.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Barbara Arnwine, founder and president of The Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC) and Daryl Jones, co-leader and Board chair of the TJC, talk about the "Good Trouble Lives On" protests that took place on the 5th year commemoration of the death of Congressman John Lewis.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Dr. Cornel West, public intellectual and Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chair at Union Theological Seminary, kicks off his new twice-weekly conversation with Tavis, Mondays and Thursdays.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Tavis goes to head-to-head with Sean Hannity, host of his eponymous program on the Fox News Channel as well as “Wanted: Dead or Alive” on Fox Nation.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Stacey and Joaquin Loper, co-stars of the new series “Back to the Frontier,” take us inside their family's 1880s world of no phones, no makeup, and no running water. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Michael Brown, former FEMA administrator and now host of the podcast The Situation, is back with his take on the recent flooding disasters and reflections on Hurricane Katrina 20 years ago this summer.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

D.D. Guttenplan, editor of The Nation magazine and host of The Nation podcast, shares their blockbuster 160th anniversary issue titled “These Dis-United States.”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Bill Kristol, editor-at-large of The Bulwark, is back to break down the messy break up between President Trump and the MAGA movement and other trending political topics. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Robin Givhan, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and former fashion editor, takes us inside her newest text “Make It Ours: Crashing the Gates of Culture with Virgil Abloh.”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Professor and Director of the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity at Duke University, William “Sandy” Darity is back with his take on the impact of the Big Ugly Tax Bill and other Trump policies on the growing wealth inequality.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. from the Cherokee Nation is back with an update on their slavery task force and the impact of the Job Corps shutdown, which is paused for now.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.