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Spotlight Story Racism Is Not a Mental Illness—But It’s Complicated

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Tavis Smiley

Smiley is host and managing editor of Tavis Smiley on PBS and author of 50 for Your Future: Lessons From Down the Road

Recent Articles

The One Single Thing Donald Trump and Martin Luther King, Jr. Have In Common

If I told you that in the last year of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life, his approval ratings were in the range of President Donald Trump’s anemic disapproval numbers, would you believe me? I...

By Tavis Smiley December 1, 2017

Dick Gregory

Civil rights icon

By Tavis Smiley August 24, 2017

From Selma to Charlottesville, the Ghosts of Our Past

There's nothing quite like being on vacation halfway around the world and trying to explain American-style racism. As an African American, the locals expect me to be an expert on these matters. The backstory of...

By Tavis Smiley August 14, 2017

Bill Maher Doesn’t Know the Hurt Behind the Racial Slur He Used. I Do.

The HBO host's use of the N-word is about more than political incorrectness

By Tavis Smiley June 5, 2017

Andrew Jackson Is the Perfect Icon of Selfishness for Trump

'We always talk about the rights of citizens, but never quite get around to the responsibilities'

By Tavis Smiley May 9, 2017

Scott Pelley's Hard Truth Comes a Little Late

The truth hurts Donald Trump — but where has it been all this time?

By Tavis Smiley February 8, 2017

Donald Trump Got Black History Month All Wrong

Three things he must understand about the purpose of celebrating black life

By Tavis Smiley February 2, 2017

A Letter to Obama, in Gratitude and Love

'My progressive critique of your administration: Respect, Protect, Correct'

By Tavis Smiley January 10, 2017

The Other Tragedy of the Chicago Torture Video

All four suspects in the Chicago torture video now face charges of aggravated battery, hate crimes and kidnapping. See Jordon, Tesfaye, Brittany and Tanishia. See the crime they committed. See how swift justice is dispensed...

By Tavis Smiley January 6, 2017

2016 Hurt Bad... So Don't Sleep Through 2017

Five ways to found the future, starting now

By Tavis Smiley December 21, 2016

Tavis Smiley: BFOTs (Black Friends of Trump) Normalize Racism

Long before Donald Trump was elected, I posited that Trump, despite what polls were suggesting, would likely do better with black voters than did Mitt Romney. I believed then, as I do now, that Trump's...

By Tavis Smiley December 6, 2016

The Time I Stood Up to Fidel Castro

‘Talk about intimidation’

By Tavis Smiley November 28, 2016

America Is Unhinged and Nobody Will Take the Blame

Many of us feel afraid, which means this is an opportunity for us to be brave

By Tavis Smiley November 22, 2016

Why I Fear America Could Enslave Black People Again

Donald Trump’s ‘Make America great again’ slogan and this Republican Congress's actions raise unanswered questions

By Tavis Smiley October 18, 2016

Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Comments on Colin Kaepernick Lack Racial Empathy

The Supreme Court justice calling the 49ers quarterback's national anthem protests 'dumb' shows a lack of understanding for black and Jewish history

By Tavis Smiley October 14, 2016

The NRA Means Not Really for African Americans

Yes, this is about police, and racism, but it's also undeniably about guns

By Tavis Smiley July 9, 2016

Brock Turner's Sentence Is a Grotesque Example of Unchecked Privilege

"Too many fellow citizens are subjected to injustice almost daily"

By Tavis Smiley June 7, 2016

5 Lessons Charleston Can Teach Us About Race, Guns and Healing

The talking points have been many, varied and often wrong. Here’s how we can go forward with clarity and the resolve for change

By Tavis Smiley June 23, 2015

LOL — Who'd Sign Up to Be Black?

When I first heard the story about the "black" NAACP head in Spokane, Washington, Rachel Dolezal, being outed as a white woman, honestly, I laughed. Out loud. LOL. Because I knew how this story would...

By Tavis Smiley June 13, 2015

The Problem With White-on-White Crime

When we look at things in black and white, we are forced to see reality

By Tavis Smiley May 20, 2015

Why I Called Maya Angelou 'Mother'

She opened her heart and her home to me — we are who we are because somebody loved us

By Tavis Smiley May 8, 2015

Protests and Riots Could Become the New Normal

It’s a dignity thing — democracy is threatened by racism and poverty

By Tavis Smiley April 30, 2015

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