Tavis Smiley’s long-standing State of the Black Union conference, which took place each February and averaged 7,000 to 10,000 participants, has reached its end.
After 10 years of informing the black community on relevant issues and offering solutions through think tank-style symposiums, Smiley wants to shift his focus to other projects he has on tap. He currently has four prime time specials in the works, as well as a book company that’s set to publish R&B singer R. Kelly’s memoir.
Although Smiley’s fruitful gathering of some of the most influential and respected minds in the black community has brought national attention to many issues plaguing the black community and has churned out four best-selling books, he now says the need for such attention is not as great as it was when he first started the conference. The State of the Black Union, “doesn’t have the premium that it used to have — and that’s a good thing,” he told the Associated Press.
“When we started SOBU 10 years ago, there weren’t a number of black sydicated radio shows, there was only one black television network, we didn’t of course have an african american president, the blogosphere had not blown up the way it has, so there’s so many venues and opportunities now to have issues that matter to black people discussed everyday,” Tavis explained. “We no longer have to wait for one day a year, in February, to have issues that matter to us being discussed by us on national television…so the timing just seems to be right.
“Were gonna continue raising issues, we’re gonna continue being a truth teller, we’re gonna continue our calling, our vocation and our purpose of trying to represent those who don’t have a voice. I believe that telling truth allows suffering to speak, so we’re gonna keep doing our part to make America a nation that is as good as its promise.”
Smiley’s controversial stance against then-presidential candidate Barack Obama in 2008 for being “too busy campaigning” to participate in the forum, cast a different light on the PBS talk show host — and the conference, causing him to have to defend his allegiance to the black community. Hillary Clinton, whom Smiley openly praised amid much criticism, was the only major candidate to make an appearance. It was speculated that his public criticism of Obama led to the termination of his 11-year relationship with the “Tom Joyner Morning Show,” which is known for furthering causes important to the black community. The newly elected Obama appeared via satellite the following year. –gerald radford
