Tavis Smiley
A persistent voice for social justice, he built a multimedia platform to center Black perspectives and challenge the American political conscience.
Born 1964 (age 62)·Talk show host and author·Birthday: September 13·Baby Boomers
Biography
Tavis Smiley emerged from a childhood of poverty in rural Indiana with a relentless drive and a gift for conversation. His path wound from being a top student and student body president at Indiana University to the backrooms of Los Angeles City Hall as an aide to Mayor Tom Bradley. This political grounding informed his move to broadcasting, where he became a distinctive presence. On BET, PBS, and public radio, Smiley's interviews were not mere celebrity chats but substantive dialogues about race, inequality, and empowerment. He authored bestselling books, hosted town halls, and used his platform to advocate for accountability and civic engagement, creating a unique space where intellectual discourse met grassroots activism, often making those in power uncomfortable in the process.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Tavis was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tavis Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Tavis's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Hosted the late-night talk show 'Tavis Smiley' on PBS for over a decade, earning a Peabody Award for his interview with President Barack Obama.
- Founded the nonprofit Tavis Smiley Foundation, which hosts an annual Leadership Institute for young people.
- Authored or co-authored multiple New York Times bestselling books, including 'The Covenant with Black America.'
- Was the first American to interview President Barack Obama following his 2008 election victory for a nationally televised program.
Did You Know?
He was the first person to host a talk show simultaneously on both NPR (The Tavis Smiley Show) and PBS (Tavis Smiley).
Smiley worked as an assistant to the late Mayor Tom Bradley of Los Angeles in his early career.
He turned down a scholarship to Harvard Law School to pursue a career in broadcasting and public service.
“You've got to be willing to lose your job, you've got to be willing to be criticized, you've got to be willing to be ostracized, if you're going to do the right thing.”
