The Navy sponsored “Talented Tenth HBCU Tour 2007” saved the best for last and ended its tour at Prairie View A & M University with its guest lecturer and media personality, Tavis Smiley, Friday, Nov. 9.
Prairie View was one of five HBCUs chosen by the Navy to participate in the tour. The others were Florida A & M University, North Carolina A & T State University, Tennessee State University, and Morehouse College.
Based on the quote by W.E.B. Dubois, “The talented tenth must be made leaders of thought and missionaries of culture among their people…education must not simply teach work, it must teach life,” the tour sought to inspire young leaders of today.
“The 10 percent have a lot of work to do. The responsibility of the 10 percent is to pass the message, to share it with the other 90. People want to see a sermon rather than hear a sermon,” Smiley said.
The message reached out to the current generations and focused on the fact that they will be the first group of African-Americans to lead without a firsthand perspective of the struggle of the black race.
“We collectively represent the first generations of black folk to assume positions of leadership and authority post civil rights. We did not live through defining moments; there was slavery, segregation, and this generation. Folk are worried to death that we are going to drop the baton,” Smiley said.
Not only did Smiley point out the fact that the current generations don’t have a firsthand perspective of “the struggle,” but these generations must lead in a critical time.
“We are living in a time where ‘they’ are determined to turn back the hands of time,” he said. “What does Black America and all of America look like under your leadership 40, 50 years down the line?” he continued.
Smiley also took the time to state some startling statistics. “The numbers indicate very clearly that the generation to come behind you is slated to be the first generation in America of black folk to not do as well as the preceding generation.”
He made it very clear that there is “no excuse, no reason, no justification” for the current generations to allow that to happen.
Smiley left the audience with three ways to proceed in life. “Learn how to be Socratic,” he said. He challenged the audience to be like the philosopher Socrates and be introspective about their lives and the legacies they leave.
His second piece of advice was to have the right definition of leadership. He advocated his definition of leadership as, “You can’t lead if you don’t love and you can’t save if you don’t serve.”
Finally, Smiley urged everyone to find his or her purpose or divine calling. “You don’t want a job, you need to find your calling, your purpose, your vocation, your divine calling.”
Visitors and students alike had nothing but positive reviews.
“It left me unsettled. It gave me a lot of insight and it really made me think,” said visitor Veronica Graham-Lockhart.
Jeren Brewere, a freshman electrical engineering major, said, “I think it was extremely informative. Students should have tried to come to hear what he had to say about being a black leader.”
Smiley attempted to reach out to the “talented tenth” and left the audience with one last challenge. “You can’t help anyone else if you don’t help yourself. That’s why you’re at PV, to help yourself and leave and help someone else.”