On this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Tom Vander Ark is joined by Clifton Taulbert, an acclaimed author, speaker and entrepreneur. His life story, Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored became a critically acclaimed 1996 movie and one of his books was sent to Nelson Mandela as a gift for his release from prison in 1990. 

His most recent book, The Invitation, was chosen by the Architect of the United States Capitol as part of the 50 the anniversary celebration of the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Legislation. Taulbert has written fourteen books in total, produced a major motion picture, and served as a consultant on several documentaries, including the Emmy-award-winning Boomtown: An American Journey, which details the birth of Tulsa, Oklahoma.