Smiley modernizes “Talented Tenth”

“You can’t lead black people if you don’t love them; you can’t save black people if you don’t serve them,” said host Tavis Smiley, as he gave his definition of leadership in the 21st century.
On Friday, Smiley and the Navy sponsored the “Talented TENth HBCU Tour 2008” in the Royal Cotillion Ballroom of the Smith-Brown Memorial Union.
The “Talented Tenth” is an idea presented by black activist W.E.B. DuBois that explains that the top 10 percent of blacks in America are held responsible to the remaining masses of fellow blacks to be used as an example, and a goal.
DuBois charged the members of his Talented Tenth with leadership as a task to “show how these men may be educated and developed,” and later to “show their relation to the Negro problem.” He also penned that the problem of the 20th century would be that of the color line, an issue that Smiley agreed with, while bringing his own interpretation of the talented tenth to Southern.
“We’re taking DuBois’ concept in trying to find that Talented Tenth in the generation that’s going to offer themselves up as leaders,” said Smiley. “We’re going to push the bounds of that DuBois-ian formulation in your generation; you have to find that ten percent of leaders to be ethical leaders, to be great leaders.” Still, Smiley believed that DuBois’ vision was “not elastic enough.”
Southern was among five other historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) on the tour this year, and when asked on why he chose the school as a participant in 2008’s tour, Smiley said, “Why not Southern?”
Critics and supporters of DuBois’ Talented Tenth often claim that elitism, or the belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as an intellect, social status, or financial resources—per answers.com—negates the effectives of such an ideal.
How could a member of the fabled Talented Tenth refrain from such behavior?
“The love squeezes out the elitism,” said Smiley. “The service to others squeezes out the elitism. It’s hard to genuinely be in love with black people and serve black people and be elitist—it’s kind of oxymoronic, you can’t be a servant and an elitist at the same time.”
After an introduction by SGA Vice President Stasha Rhodes and a video presentation by Captain Jerod Hall, Smiley took the stage, where we warned the audience, “I say this to you, unapologetically, off the top: I will say something that unsettles you. If I don’t say something that upsets you or unsettles you, then I haven’t done my job.”
It didn’t take long to unsettle the audience, as Smiley spoke of the newest political lingo in phrase like ‘pivoting,’ a ‘post-racial America,’ ‘the politics of grievance,’ and ‘race transcendence,’ words used by “mainstream media” to “deflect the upcoming election.”
He urged everyone to live Socratic lives, citing the philosopher by stating, “the unexamined life is one worth living.”
Spanning from Sen. Barack Obama, whom Smiley believes Black America is too lenient on for accountability, economy, and the future of the next generation—foreseen to fare worst financially and successfully than pervious generations—to leadership within communities, schools and organizations.
After his speech, Smiley took questions from members of the audience
Nona Stewart, a public relations and mass communication major from New Orleans said she enjoyed the event.
“He (Smiley) did a great job; he spoke on the trials and tribulations of the black community.”
The “Talented TENth HBCU Tour 2008” tour is available in both video and audio formats on www.southerndigest.com.