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Professor David Kyuman Kim to appear on PBS´ "Tavis Smiley"

Professor David Kyuman Kim will appear on the late night television show "Tavis Smiley" on PBS.

December 05, 2007

David Kyuman Kim, assistant professor of religious studies and director of the Center for the Comparative Study of Race and Ethnicity at Connecticut College, will appear on the late night television show "Tavis Smiley" on PBS. The show is tentatively scheduled to air on Dec. 20.

During the show, hosted by author, philanthropist and advocate Tavis Smiley, Kim will be discussing the Center and his new book, "Melancholic Freedom: Agency and the Spirit of Politics."

Smiley, who will give the keynote address at Connecticut College´s 90th Commencement ceremony May 18, also hosts "The Tavis Smiley Show," a radio program distributed through Public Radio International, and his political commentary is featured twice weekly on the "Tom Joyner Morning Show," a nationally syndicated radio program. Smiley is also the author of 11 books, including his most recent, "What I know for Sure: My Story of Growing Up in America."

At a time when much of television news stands out for its divisiveness and hype, Smiley says he focuses on civility and intelligent conversation Newsweek profiled him as one of the "20 people changing how Americans get their news" and dubbed him one of the nation´s "captains of the airwaves."

Through his not-for-profit organization, the Tavis Smiley Foundation, Smiley also works to enlighten, encourage and empower African American youth.

Smiley was chosen as commencement speaker by a campus committee that included faculty, staff and students. Smiley previously visited Connecticut College in the spring of 2006 for the Center for the Comparative Study of Race and Ethnicity´s inaugural symposium, which also featured Cornel West.

For more information on the show and David Kim´s appearance, please visit www.pbs.org. Check your local listings for broadcast information.

For more information contact: Amy Sullivan (860) 439-2526; amy.sullivan@conncoll.edu