Thirteen of black America's most eloquent and accomplished voices share their visions for a self-sufficient, self-determined future. Black Genius is both an extraordinary forum of distinguished individuals who have demonstrated intelligence, courage, and the ability to communicate, and a project for sharing among people interested in the future of people of African American descent. Originally a series of community conversations where visionaries with solutions explored the role of black people in shaping cultural consciousness, conceived by Walter Mosley and sponsored by the New York University Africana Studies Program, the book of Black Genius reprints these lectures and many responses to questions. The speakers focus on such issues as economics, political power, work, authority, and culture, offering not only broad perspectives but concrete, achievable solutions. It is an exceptional, unique colloquy of voices, one that points the way to enriching black life in the twenty-first century. The speakers: Farai Chideya, Stanley Crouch, George Curry, Angela Davis, Jocelyn Elders, M.D., bell hooks, Spike Lee, Haki Madhubuti, Julianne Malveaux, Walter Mosley, Randall Robinson, Anna Deveare Smith, Melvin van Peebles.