In a recent roundtable discussion with some of the nations most respected Black leaders, Tavis Smiley facilitated a meeting that was as inspiring as its predecessor in Atlanta, GA, in early 2005.

The meeting of the State of the Black Union entitled, "Defining the African American Agenda, Part II" was held on February 26 at St. Agnes Church in Houston, TX, and carried live on C-SPAN. The gathering was designed to give individuals, groups, and communities the push needed to move forward and resolve some of this nations' toughest issues.

Guests included Rev. Al Sharpton, Dr. Na'im Akbar, Melvin Watt U.S. Representative, (D-NC), Kimberle Williams Crenshaw, Dr. Cornel West, Wade Henderson, Angela Glover Blackwell, Bishop Harry Jackson, Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Harry Belafonte, Raymond Brown, Minister Louis Farrakhan, and Jackie Winters, State Senator (R-OR).

Smiley has been instrumental in confronting the issues concerning Blacks by gathering prominent leaders in an effort to not only hold America accountable for the disparities that plague Black communities, but to also encourage dialogue and action among Black leaders. The creation of a covenant with Black America is where this action begins.

Members of the panel discussed the many challenges facing Blacks in America, the ideas proposed in the covenant, and the future leadership structure within the Black community. Smiley previously met with, and presented this covenant to leaders of both the Democratic and Republican parties. The goal of these meetings is to create a bipartisan effort aimed at strengthening ties between Black America and the federal government.

The ten chapters of the covenant include: education, police accountability, the criminal justice system, health, economic disparity, housing and community development, participating in the democratic process, rural communities, information technology, and environmental justice.

Panelists also talked about the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the slow federal response to the disaster. Smiley introduced Katrina survivors Rochelle Smith and Alvin Seymore, who both recited touching stories about survival during and after the destruction of their homes in New Orleans.

The significance of these types of discussions and the importance of the book, is surpassed only by the positive actions taken to correct the problems in Black communities. Creating a covenant is crucial to understanding the source of the problems and helps propose strategies for finding effective solutions.

The Covenant With Black America, which is published by Third World Press, was edited by Tavis Smiley and is on sale now..

For more information about the Covenant With Black America, visit the website at: www.covenantwithblackamerica.com.

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