See Also:
Beginning of a FAMOUS Hero: The Colin Powell Story.
Life Lesson #84 – Develop a Love of Learning.
Condoleezza was born in November of 1954. Her name was taken from an Italian music term meaning to play or sing with sweetness. Condi, as everyone began to call her, learned how to read when most children learn to walk! By the time she was 3 years old, she was taking classical piano lessons, figure skating, ballet, and French.
Although her parents were well educated, and they always insisted on the best of everything for little Condi, life was not always easy. They lived in Alabama in a time of segregation when white people and black people were kept apart. Condi’s parents believed in education and accomplishment. They said it brings a much better life, and it helps to bring respect. Condi said that her father believed it was much better to fight racial injustice with your mind than with violence! Still, it’s impossible for Condi to forget about what happened in 1963 when a very unfair and hateful man killed four girls and hurt a lot of other people with a bomb all because their skin was a different color from his. One of the girls he killed was Condi’s good friend.
As Condi grew older and went to college, she became very interest in something called political science. So she studied hard to learn how the governments of the world worked, and she thought that maybe someday she could help them work together! She got to know many very important people, and eventually she became the National Security Advisor to the President of the United States! And later, Condoleezza Rice became Secretary of State for the United States of America. But she didn’t start out being powerful and important. She started out as a little girl whose parents helped her to have a love for learning. Then she worked hard, and eventually she became a true world-class HERO!
– Jim Lord