The role African-Americans will play in the 2008 presidential election and the mobilization of 2,000 volunteers to rebuild the hardest hit areas by Hurricane Katrina will be the focus of this year’s annual "State of the Black Union" symposium, hosted and presented by commentator Tavis Smiley in New Orleans.

Smiley will host a conversation with 24 noted politicians, educators, social scientists, business leaders and clergy, exploring the theme, "Reclaiming our Democracy, Deciding our Future," on Saturday, Feb. 23 at the Ernest E. Morial Convention Center.

"In this history-making presidential election year, we want to have a conversation about how to leverage our votes and how to empower everyday black people," Smiley told BlackAmericaWeb.com, "and black folks will make the difference."

Smiley said his forum, which is now in its ninth year, will lead a discussion of "the nitty-gritty politics of the day."

The race for the Democratic presidential nomination between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama remains close, with Obama building momentum after sweeping victories in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia last week.   

But it’s the Obama-Smiley controversy that has generated recent discussion on black radio and on the Internet where some blacks have taken Smiley to task.

"I’m catching hell," Smiley acknowledged in an interview.

Smiley invited four presidential candidates to attend his forum -- Clinton, Obama and Republicans John McCain and Mike Huckabee. Clinton is the only candidate who has accepted. Smiley has pressed the Obama campaign to send Obama to the forum, but they declined the invitation.

Then, radio talk show host and CNN contributor Roland Martin wrote a recent column on Essence.com entitled: "Why Obama Should Skip Tavis Smiley's 'State of the Black Union.'"

Martin argued that Clinton's appearance at the event is more crucial to her campaign strategically than it is for Obama's. The Illinois senator's time, says Martin, would be better spent campaigning in Texas to court Latinos and bolster his support among Hispanic voters, many of whom support Clinton.

"The perceived racial slights toward Obama by Clinton campaign surrogates, as well as her husband, former President Bill Clinton, has done significant damage in the black community; his attempts to explain the comments haven't mollified African-Americans." Martin opined. "[Clinton's] appearance at the event can help her restore her standing among a vital Democratic constituency, which she will need to turn out en masse if she wins the nomination."

Clinton has not won a campaign or a caucus since Super Tuesday on Feb. 5, and one Demosratic strategist told BlackAmericaWeb.com that her campaign is now in a "tailspin." The campaign began running television ads this week criticizing Obama for refusing to debate Clinton before the Tuesday primary in Wisconsin. His campaign responded with an ad calling her assertions "the same old politics of phony charges and false attacks."

The CNN contributor also noted that the Clinton campaign "doesn't have the cash Obama has. She needs any free media. And if Obama shows up [at the Smiley event], that means all the national media will be there, and the stage is set for her. Tavis said on the air that he would push for the candidates to debate the issues. She's called for more; Obama has only accepted two."

The Obama campaign should send Michelle Obama, said Martin, to speak on the candidate’s behalf.

"What is the purpose of surrogates if you can't make it somewhere?" Martin wrote. "His wife is perfectly suited for this event, and that frees him up to go elsewhere. Plus, she's his top surrogate, and having a female counter your female opponent isn't a bad matchup."

"As an aside, when I asked my radio listeners on WVON in Chicago if Obama should skip the event, we got 29 calls in two hours, and only two said he should go," he wrote. "And this is a crowd that is normally in agreement with Smiley."

According to the Obama campaign -- saying Obama needs to focus on campaigning in Wisconsin, Texas and Ohio -- officials offered to send Michelle Obama to the forum, but said that Smiley rejected the idea, telling them that he would not accept surrogates for Obama.

Smiley’s refusal to allow Michelle Obama to appear at the forum has generated some criticism of Smiley on black radio and the Internet.

Smiley defended his position saying the purpose of the symposium is "to speak with candidates," not surrogates, and he said he feels strongly that Obama should participate.

"That people are suggesting that I am boxing [Obama] in or threatening him, is nonsense," Smiley told BlackAmericaWeb.com. "I’m catching hell just for inviting Mr. Obama to the event."

"I love Michelle Obama, and I have a great respect and admiration for her, but we have a precedent," he said. "This is about the candidates. If Hillary Clinton had offered me Bill Clinton, I would have said no."

Contrary to what the Obama campaign has said, Smiley counters that he "never received any communication from the Obama campaign offering Michelle Obama. I never received a phone call, e-mail or snail mail. Nothing. It never happened."

In the meantime, the show goes on.

This year's "State of the Black Union" panel will examine the role that African-Americans will play on issues ranging from education and health to the justice system and wealth-building.

A partial list of panelists for the symposium include New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin; Norman Francis, president of Xavier University; scholar/author Cornel West; Bishop Paul S. Morton; Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker; the Rev. Al Sharpton; the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr.; Louisiana Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu; Angela Glover Blackwell, Michael Eric Dyson and Michael Steele.

SOBU Builds, in partnership with Landrieu’s office, will mobilize volunteers in New Orleans to help in the city’s rebuilding efforts. The sections selected for the projects represent some of the worst hit areas of New Orleans.

"We want to remind America that there is unfinished business on the agenda. New Orleans is a metaphor for the maltreatment of what black America receives, but it is also a metaphor for revival," Smiley said.

Participation in the service project and attendance at the panel discussion is free and open to the public. Advanced free registration is required at www.tavistalks.com.

"This looks like the largest single-day of volunteers in New Orleans since the hurricane hit in 2005," Smiley said. "We have more than 2,000 volunteers, and the number continues to climb every day. This is what really matters. All the other stuff is just a distraction."