Podcast appearances and mentions of Tavis Smiley

661. Today we talk to Rachel L. Doherty about Louisiana folklore and folklife. Rachel is the Assistant Director for Programming and Special Projects at the Center for Louisiana Studies. Dr. Rachel Doherty is a scholar of contemporary Francophone art, literature, and creolized identities in Louisiana and Canada. She is an alumna of UL Lafayette's Francophone Studies program, a former lecturer at UL and Université Sainte-Anne, and a former French immersion teacher. Dr. Doherty specializes in occult and magical lore in minority Francophone literatures and arts, and analyzes folklore's place in today's language and identity movements. Now available: Liberty in Louisiana: A Comedy. The oldest play about Louisiana, author James Workman wrote it as a celebration of the Louisiana Purchase. Now it is back in print for the first time in 222 years. Order your copy today! This week in the Louisiana Anthology. “At the 'Cadian Ball” by Kate Chopin is about a Fais Do Do in the late 1800s. "BOBINÔT, that big, brown, good-natured Bobinôt, had no intention of going to the ball, even though he knew Calixta would be there. For what came of those balls but heartache, and a sickening disinclination for work the whole week through, till Saturday night came again and his tortures began afresh? Why could he not love Ozéina, who would marry him to-morrow; or Fronie, or any one of a dozen others, rather than that little Spanish vixen? Calixta's slender foot had never touched Cuban soil; but her mother's had, and the Spanish was in her blood all the same. For that reason the prairie people forgave her much that they would not have overlooked in their own daughters or sisters." This week in Louisiana history. January 16, 1962. Students at Southern Univ. begin civil rights demonstrations. This week in New Orleans history. Mayor C. Ray Nagin's "Chocolate City Speech" January 16, 2006. The "Chocolate City Speech" is the nickname that some have given to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day speech by Mayor Ray Nagin on January 16, 2006, several months after Hurricane Katrina. Prior to Nagin's speech, some commentators were suggesting that the city's demographics would change from majority African American to majority Caucasian.  In an interview with Public Radio International's Tavis Smiley (originally broadcast on January 13, 2006) Nagin used the phrase "chocolate city" in reference to New Orleans' future demographics. This week in Louisiana. January 31, 2026 Louisiana King Cake Festival 402 West 3rd Street Thibodaux, LA 70301 A large-scale outdoor food festival where attendees can sample dozens of different king cakes from across the state. This event serves as a major fundraiser for the Lafourche Education Foundation: 10:30 AM: The “Krewe of King Cake” Children's Parade kicks off the festivities around 201 Green Street. 11:00 AM: The festival grounds officially open for tasting and live music. Highlight 1 (The Tasting): Guests purchase “tasting tickets” to sample various king cakes and vote for the “People's Choice” winner. Highlight 2 (The Music): Local Louisiana bands perform on the main stage throughout the afternoon.  4:00 PM: The winners of the best traditional and non-traditional king cakes are announced. End: The festival wraps up at 5:00 PM. Website: louisianakingcakefest.com Email: info@lafourcheeducation.com Phone: (985) 688-4662 Lafourche Education Foundation P.O. Box 486 Thibodaux, LA 70302 Postcards from Louisiana. Little Freddie King. Listen on Apple Podcasts. Listen on audible. Listen on Spotify. Listen on TuneIn. Listen on iHeartRadio. The Louisiana Anthology Home Page. Like us on Facebook.    

Dr. Cornel West, scholar, leading public intellectual, author and special contributor, shares his thoughts on geopolitics and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Wendell Potter, New York Times best-selling author and health insurance industry insider-turned-whistleblower, explains how he became a fierce advocate for single-payer health care reform and discusses the latest changes to the Affordable Care Act.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

New York Times investigative reporters Katie Benner and Erica L. Green discuss their new book, “Miracle Children: Race, Education, and a True Story of False Promises,” and weigh in on top stories from their regular beats at the Justice Department and the White House.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Andre Gaines, director, producer and co-writer of the new André Holland film “The Dutchman,” reflects on the legacy of Amiri Baraka's controversial play, along with resident Baraka expert Dominique DiPrima, his daughter.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, chairman of the Jan. 6 select committee, recalls the events of Jan. 6, 2021, and discusses what comes next in 2026.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Bishop William J. Barber II, president and senior lecturer of Repairers of the Breach and Moral Mondays, discusses the ICE resistance movement, the “It's Time to Love Forward Together” moral march and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Bill Kurtis, broadcaster and documentary producer, reflects on his time covering the assassination of Fred Hampton and other historic events in his new memoir, “Whirlwind: My Life Reporting the News.”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Raquel Graham, "Shark Tank" winner, CEO of Roq Innovation, and host of "Entrepreneuring with Raquel Graham" on KBLA Talk 1580 gives her insight on Black-led investment funds thriving despite DEI rollbacks, the benefits of franchising and why Africa is the next frontier for Black entrepreneurs.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Jermaine Fowler previews his new horror film, “Night Patrol,” and discusses his career as a successful actor and comedian.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

IIunga Adell, television writer and actor, looks back at his time on “Sanford and Son,” which premiered on this day in 1972, as well as his long career on beloved shows like “227,” “A Different World,” “Roc,”and “Moesha.”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Republicans refuse to check Trump's power in Venezuela and there is yet another ICE shooting in Minneapolis. Tavis talks politics and more with our regular contributor, lawyer, author, philosopher, and professor, Tim Golden.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Dr. Clayborne Carson, Martin Luther King Jr. Centennial Professor Emeritus at Stanford University, honors the civil rights leader on his birthday with his favorite stories, footnotes and insights.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Award-winning journalist Caleb Gayle takes readers inside his new book, “Black Moses: A Saga of Ambition and the Fight for a Black State,” about Edward McCabe's crusade to create an all-Black state in Oklahoma.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Associate professor in the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland and author Dr. Niambi Carter gives her analysis of Minnesota suing the federal government and other trending political topics.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Comedian David Jolly is in the studio with his hilarious New Year's wisdom for those observing Dry January, drawn from his own “Five-Year Comedy and Sobriety Experiment.”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Jeh Johnson, former Homeland Security secretary under President Barack Obama, shares his concerns about the types of people being recruited for ICE through its “Defund Your Culture” sales pitch.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Ben Burgis, Rutgers University philosophy professor, socialist political commentator and  “Jacobin” columnist, discusses Venezuela and whether the U.S. will extend its aggression to Cuba, Mexico, Brazil and beyond.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Dr. Cornel West, scholar, leading public intellectual, author and special contributor, offers his analysis of Pope Leo's rebuke of the growing global zeal for war, and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Minneapolis civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network, Nekima Levy Armstrong, gives an update on the ICE resistance movement in the city and next steps in seeking justice for Renee Nicole Good.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

George C. Fraser, chairman and CEO of FraserNet and author of books such as “Success Runs in Our Race,” returns to issue his Power Networking challenge just in time for the new year.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Adrianne Shropshire, host of “The Black Pack” radio show on KBLA Talk 1580 and executive director of the political organization BlackPAC, gives her analysis of trending political stories through the lens of Black progressivism.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

UMass Amherst anthropology professor Nicholas Caverly discusses his latest book, “Demolishing Detroit: How Structural Racism Endures,” and how infrastructural systems maintain white supremacy within Black communities.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Altadena residents James Farr, a journalist and KBLA Talk 1580 host, and Andrew Wessels, strategy director for the Eaton Fire Survivors Network, discuss the first anniversary of the California wildfires and the next steps in recovery.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 thoughts on the fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis, the Donroe Doctrine and other trending political topics.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Dr. Cornel West, scholar, leading public intellectual, author and special contributor, offers his analysis of U.S. imperialism in Greenland, Democratic leaders' response to Trump's unauthorized Venezuelan operation, and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Daytime soap legend Eric Braeden has a career conversation with Tavis, reflecting on his 45 years as Victor Newman and sharing how the Palisades fire destroyed his home and changed his life.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Hall of Fame speaker, SiriusXM radio and podcast host, and best-selling author Dr. Willie Jolley discusses his new book, “Rich Is Good, Wealthy Is Better!” and how wealth really begins in the mind.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

N'Kenge, the Tony, Emmy, and Grammy-nominated, Juilliard-trained vocalist with a five-octave range and fluency in eleven languages shares her new single, “S'Wonderful,” and previews her upcoming run as Dorothy Dandridge.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, president and CEO of the Children's Defense Fund, returns with a look at the challenges ahead for America's children, including hunger, health care and housing.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Professor of African American Studies at UCLA and author of "Radical Reparations: Healing the Soul of a Nation," Marcus Anthony Hunter offers analysis on the fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection, the future of Cuba and other trending political topicsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Christina Greer, political scientist, author, and associate professor at Fordham University, is back with her breakdown of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's inauguration and what it means for New York City and the Democrats in 2026.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Dr. Cornel West, scholar, leading public intellectual, author, and special contributor, shares his thoughts on the large-scale strike on Venezuela and the capture of its President Nicholas Maduro and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Journalist José Luis Granados Ceja, who covers Latin America for Drop Site News, goes inside the U.S. invasion of Venezuela and explains what it means for other left-leaning leaders in our hemisphere.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

LawrenceWare, Oklahoma State University philosophy professor and co-director of theAfricana Studies Program, explains why he was not surprised by Nicki Minaj's MAGA flirtation over the holidays - and what it could mean for Black voters during the midterms.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Spiritual writer, best-selling author, and wellness educator Lalah Delia talks about how we can enter the new year with clarity, steadiness, and inner alignment.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

In this Best of 2025 episode, we revisit Tavis Smiley's conversation with historian, professor, and UC Santa Barbara Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Jeffrey Stewart as he celebrates the 100th anniversary of The New Negro: An Interpretation, his new edition of that seminal anthology, and his 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning work on editor Alain Locke.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

In this Best of 2025 episode, we revisit Tavis Smiley's conversation with University of Michigan professor, award-winning cultural translator, and author Marcus Collins as he shares his thoughts on America confronting the erasure of Black history and progress, the White House's new media bias tracker, and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

In this Best of 2025 episode, we revisit Tavis Smiley's conversation with award-winning organizer, philanthropic consultant, and co-founder of Black Voters Matter, LaTosha Brown, as she discusses her economic pressure campaign We Ain't Buying It and explains why she's calling for the boycott of Trump enablers.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

In this Best of 2025 episode, we revisit the late Mother Viola Fletcher, the longest-living survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre, in her final in-studio conversation with Tavis Smiley.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

In this Best of 2025 episode, we revisit Tavis Smiley's conversation with Jaron Lanier—futurist, public intellectual, and computer scientist—as he shares an update on the intersection of AI and humans, marking 35 years since the first web browser, website, and server were launched.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

In this Best of 2025 episode, we revisit Tavis Smiley's conversation with Lori Wallach, director of the Rethink Trade program at American Economic Liberties Project, as she breaks down President Donald Trump's $2,000 stimulus plan, which is supposedly funded by tariffs.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

In this Best of 2025 episode, we revisit Tavis Smiley's conversation with Ruth E. Carter, two-time Oscar-winning costume designer, as they discuss her career, the story behind Eddie Murphy's red leather suit, and her insights featured in the new documentary Being Eddie.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

In this Best of 2025 episode, we revisit Tavis Smiley's conversation with U.S. Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) as he discusses his new memoir, The First Eight: A Personal History of the Pioneering Black Congressmen Who Shaped a Nation.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

In this Best of 2025 episode, we revisit Tavis Smiley's conversation with NAACP award-winning historian and Fulbright scholar Karida Brown, Emory University sociology professor, as she discusses her two latest books, The Battle for the Black Mind and The New Brownies' Book: A Love Letter to Black Families.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

In this Best of 2025 episode, we revisit Tavis Smiley's conversation with actor Kenric Green, star of the new film Sarah's Oil, as he recounts the story of a young Black girl who became a millionaire after “black gold” was discovered on her Oklahoma land and shares what it's like to be one half of a Hollywood power couple with Sonequa Martin-Green.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

In this Best of 2025 episode, we revisit Tavis Smiley's conversation with Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, as she goes inside her new book, Why Fascists Fear Teachers: Public Education and the Future of Democracy.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

In this Best of 2025 episode, we revisit Tavis Smiley's conversation with Vincent Intondi, Cornell University scholar, managing editor of The Nuclear Times, and executive director of Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility—as he reflects on the new Netflix film A House of Dynamite in the context of his work on the intersection of race and nuclear weapons.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

In this Best of 2025 episode, we revisit Tavis Smiley's conversation with Christian Menefee, Harris County Attorney and run-off candidate for Texas' storied 18th Congressional seat, as he shares how he plans to fill the big shoes of those who came before him, including Sylvester Turner, Sheila Jackson Lee, Mickey Leland, and Barbara Jordan.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

In this Best of 2025 episode, we revisit Tavis Smiley's conversation with Joel Berg—CEO of Hunger Free America and author of America, We Need to Talk: A Self-Help Book for the Nation—as he explains why President Donald Trump is allowing food stamp funding to run out.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.