How to Make Black America Better: Leading African Americans Speak Out

Issuing a powerful call for constructive social action, the popular radio and television commentator Tavis Smiley has assembled the voices of leading African American artists, intellectuals, and politicians from Chuck D to Cornel West to Maxine Waters. How to Make Black America Better takes a pragmatic, solutions-oriented approach that includes Smiley's own ten challenges to the African American community.



Smiley and his contributors stress the family tie, the power of community networks, the promise of education, and the leverage of black economic and political strength in shaping a new vision of America. Encouraging African Americans to realize the potential of their own leadership and to work collectively from the bottom up, the selections offer new ideas for addressing vital issues facing black communities. Featuring original essays by some of our most important thinkers, How to Make Black America Better is an essential book for anyone concerned with the status of African Americans today.

Tavis Smiley is the author of Doing What's Right, Hard Left, and On Air. He is a regular political commentator on The Tom Joyner Morning Show” and won a 1999 NAACP Image Award for his own television talk show BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley. He lives in Los Angeles.

About Tavis Smiley