On Saturday, November 19, 2011, Paul Kurtz spoke at a receptive and thrilled gathering hosted by the New Orleans Secular Humanist Association. Kurtz discussed the need for personal morality and reason in guiding human beings to ethical excellence. Furthermore, Kurtz discussed the importance of exuberance in the life of the individual.

Kurtz noted that traditional religion is outdated and that morality must necessarily change with social conditions and the times. However, he stated that rejection of theism is not enough. Humanists must focus more on determining how human beings ought to live and what constitutes the good life.

After Kurtz’s talk, I discussed some of his major contributions to organized humanism and skepticism. Kurtz gave James Christopher the opportunity to start Secular Organizations for Sobriety. He encouraged me to edit the first major book showing how humanists and humanist ideals substantively developed Black activism and activism. He later encouraged me to edit the first book in which Black humanists had the opportunity to discuss their personal paths to humanism. He encouraged me to write my upcoming book, Secular, Successful and Black: 25 Profiles, which will be another first.

Kurtz was instrumental in helping bring about the first major humanist conference in sub-Saharan Africa (Nigeria) and the first major skeptics conference in sub-Saharan Africa (Senegal). No one has sent more books on humanism and skepticism than has Kurtz, from his company, Prometheus Books.

After African Americans for Humanism was established in 1989 at Kurtz’s urging, humanism was brought to the African American media. The AAH Examiner, the only journal by and for humanists of African descent, was published from 1991-2010. Since 1989, the number of organized humanist groups in Africa went form three in two countries, to 72 in 30 countries.

Kurtz was also instrumental in arranging the first major skeptics conferences in Latin America. Moreover, he helped bring public discussions of humanism to Romania for the first time.

Our talks were well-received by the audience, and some people came from several miles away. It was the group’s most well-attended event, and the Q&A session was lively and provocative.