Why you should know James E Shepard!

James E Shepard 

November 3rd of 1875 the eldest of 12 children were born of Hattie Whitted and Augustus Shepard.  James E Shepard the son of a Baptist minister in Raleigh, North Carolina.  James graduated Shaw University with a pharmacy degree.  In 1895 he married Annie Day Robinson, a cabinetmaker.  She birthed their children Annie Day and Marjorie Augusta.  James Shepard established himself among North Carolina's leading black entrepreneurs.  In 1898, he became one of the first seven investors in the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company in Durham which eventually became the largest black-owned company in the South.  In 1907, he helped incorporate the Mechanics and Farmers Bank.  All along James Shepard kept one foot in the world of politics.  Shepard an active member of the Republican Party, appointed the clerkship in the Recorder of Deeds Office in Washington D.C from 1898 to 1899 and Raleigh's deputy collector for the Internal Revenue Service from 1899 to 1905.

From 1905 to 1909 James Shepard served as a field superintendent for the International Sunday School Association and was the only African American to address the World Sunday School Convention in Rome in 1907.  James raised money for the National Religious Training School and Chautauqua for the Colored Race, which opened in Durham in 1910.  He won endorsements from local and national white leaders including Theodore Roosevelt.  In the 1920's James E Shepard served as president of the state's black teachers association and as Grand Master of the Prince Hall Free and Accepted Masons.  In 1935, he became one of the founding members of the Durham Committee on Negro Affairs.  During the 1940's James took the air to urge blacks citizens to vote. 

James Shepard did not live to see his school The North Carolina College for Negroes attain university status or witness the civil rights movement that fundamentally changed education in the south.  At the age of 71 in 1947, he suffered a stroke in Durham.  Two years after his death, students from The North Carolina College for Negroes picketed the state capitol and protested conditions at the unaccredited law school.  Their demonstration helped pave the way in 1951 for integration at the law school of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  A local white columnist commented that "James E Shepard was regarded by many legislatures as the best politician ever to come before them."

   

Oprah Winfrey is More Than a TV Host

Oprah Winfrey

This inspiring woman was born January 29th in the year of 1954.  Oprah Gail Winfrey came out of Kosciusko, Mississippi.  Vernita Lee her mother and her father a soldier named their child Orpah from a biblical figure.  However, a clerk misspelled her name and the parents stuck with it.  Oprah was raised by her grandparents whom were pig farmers Hattie Mae Bullock and Earless Lee.  Vernita had left to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to work as a maid.  Oprah's mother had more children while she was there.  Patricia and Jeffery.

Oprah was a bright child and skipped several grades in elementary school.  Loneliness had become apart of her life again so her outlet became performing and public speaking.  Traumatic events had then took place.  Oprah shared a bed with her fourteen year old cousin who sexually molested her.  Sexually abused by her brother's father as well.  Oprah began running away, stealing from her mother and became sexually promiscuous.  Vernita sent her to live with Vernon and Zelma Winfrey in Nashville, Tennessee and soon after she gave birth to a son whom died.  

In Nashville, Oprah began turning around.  Continuing to excel in school, elected senior class president in high school, and got a part-time job reading the news at WVOL a local radio station.  During her college career at Tennessee State University she worked at WTVF-TV in Nashville.  Before completing college Oprah left Tennessee for an anchoring the evening news for WJZ-TV, Baltimore's ABC affiliate.  Oprah Winfrey was sent to a voice coach and salon, where she lost her hair.  Soon doing a talk show called "People Are Talking."  In 1983 Oprah was hired to host the A.M Chicago at WLS-TV.  This particular show was re-launched as "The Oprah Show"  in 1985 as well as starring in "The Color Purple."  The Alices Walker's novel arned both Oscar and Global nominations.  Then placed in charge of her own public relations.  In 1986 Winfrey was interviewed by Mike Wallace in 60 minutes.  In 1987 her cameo appearance was in "Throw Momma from the Train."  Oprah Winfrey formed Harpo productions in 1986 and acquired ownership of the Oprah Winfrey Show.  The name Harpo came from Oprah spelled backwards.  Needless to say Oprah Winfrey paved the way to "women's programming," celebrity brand-naming, reality home, and how to TV.  Notable Black figures were celebrated and placed on equal footing with white stars.  

 

In 1993 Bill Clinton signed a law "Oprah's Bill." There are many of ideas she brought to life such as The Oprah Winfrey Foundation, The Oprah Winfrey Scholars Program, Oprah's angel Network, Use Your Life Award, Christmas Kindness South Africa, Oprah's Book Club, Oprah Online, Oxygen Media Incorporated, O, The Oprah Magazine, and Granite Broadcasting.  In 2003, Winfrey was the world's richest entertainer after Steven Spielberg.  Oprah Winfrey has been named the first African American woman billionaire.