Tavis Smiley Coming To Tulsa For Sankofa Freedom Award

By Jovana Poljasevic, News On 6

TULSA, Oklahoma - A well-known publisher and broadcaster will be in Tulsa to accept the Sankofa Freedom Award. Tavis Smiley will speak at 6 p.m. January 28 at Rudisill Regional Library. 

The Sankofa Freedom Award is given every other year in February during Black History Month to a nationally-acclaimed individual that has dedicated his or her life to educating and improving the African-American community.

This year's winner of the Sankofa Freedom Award is broadcaster, author, and publisher, advocate and philanthropist Tavis Smiley.

Smiley has written 18 books and has two live shows: "Tavis Smiley" on PBS and "The Tavis Smiley Show" from Public Radio International.

Tavis Smiley Website

He's also the author of the best-selling book,"The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto." 

The book made millions of Americans re-examine their assumptions about poverty and how to eradicate it, according to a release from the Tulsa City-County Library.

His book "The Covenant with Black America," became the first nonfiction book owned by a Black publisher to reach the top spot on The New York Times best-seller list.

Smiley created a nonprofit organization to provide leadership training and development for youth where more than 6,000 young people have participated in foundation conference and training.

The 2016 Sankofa Freedom Award will be presented by Tulsa City-County Library's African-American Resource Center, on Thursday, January 28, at 6 p.m., at Rudisill Regional Library,1520 North Hartford.