Tony Brown, a distinguished TV journalist/commentator, bestselling author and educator, will be a keynote speaker at the University of South Alabama at 7 p.m. on Tuesday March 4 at the Laidlaw Performing Arts Center. The event is open to the public and admission is free. The program is sponsored by the African-American Studies Program and Jaguar Productions.

Brown is currently the commentator of the PBS series “Tony Brown’s Journal” and has recently released a powerful and personal book describing the seven core values given to him by his mother called “What Mama Taught Me.” He has also written “Empower The People” and “Black Lies, White Lies: The Truth According To Tony Brown” that sold 100,000 copies.

Brown was the first and founding dean, as well as professor, of the School of Communications at Howard University. He was also the first dean of the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications at Hampton University. He has won many awards including Educator of the Year, Communicator of the Year, Ambassador of Free Enterprise Award and many others gratifying his accomplishments.

Brown was born in Charleston, West Virginia. He received his bachelor’s degree in sociology and his master’s degree in psychiatric social work at Wayne State University in Detroit, Mich. He has also received many honorary doctorate degrees for his achievements in journalism, education and economics.

Brown’s motto is “Self Help. No Black Lies, No White Lies- Only The Truth.”