Mr. Rogers – An American Hero
Fred Rogers, better known to millions of children as Mr. Rogers, is a true American hero.
If you don’t believe me, ask your children and grandchildren! They know!
The occasion of this post is the 1997 Emmy Award Ceremony. Mr. Rogers was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
It was a happy change of pace both for the Awards Program and for the manner in which Fred Rogers accepted his award.
Watch and be as impressed as I was.
Fred McFeely Rogers’ Life as Chronicled in Wikipedia
| Fred Rogers | |
|---|---|
| Born | Fred McFeely Rogers March 20, 1928 Latrobe, Pennsylvania |
| Died | February 27, 2003 (aged 74) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Cause of death | Stomach cancer |
| Other names | Mister Rogers Mr. Rogers |
| Occupation | Educator, minister, songwriter, television host |
| Years active | 1951–2001 |
| Religion | Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (ordained in 1963) |
| Spouse(s) | Sara Joanne Byrd (1952–2003 his death) |
| Children | James John |
| Signature | |
Fred McFeely Rogers (March 20, 1928 – February 27, 2003) was an American educator, Presbyterian minister, songwriter, author, and television host. Rogers was most famous for creating and hosting Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (1968–2001), which featured his gentle, soft-spoken personality and directness to his audiences.[1]
Initially educated to be a minister, Rogers was displeased with the way television addressed children and made an effort to change this when he began to write for and perform on local Pittsburgh-area shows dedicated to youth. WQED developed his own show in 1968 and it was distributed nationwide by Eastern Educational Television Network. Over the course of three decades on television, Fred Rogers became an indelible American icon of children’s entertainment and education, as well as a symbol of compassion, patience, and morality.[2] He was also known for his advocacy of various public causes. His testimony before a lower court in favor of fair use recording of television shows to play at another time (now known as time shifting) was cited in a U.S. Supreme Court decision on the Betamax case, and he gave now-famous testimony to a U.S. Senate committee, advocating government funding for children’s television.[3]
Rogers received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, some forty honorary degrees,[4] and a Peabody Award. He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame, was recognized by two Congressional resolutions, and was ranked No. 35 among TV Guide’s Fifty Greatest TV Stars of All Time.[5] Several buildings and artworks in Pennsylvania are dedicated to his memory, and the Smithsonian Institution displays one of his trademark sweaters as a “Treasure of American History”.
The whole Wikipedia article has many interesting details on the life and career of Fred Rogers and can be found at this link.
For a while, a false rumor spread that Fred Rogers was a Navy Seal but, in fact, he never served in any branch of the military.
Etc.
Please use the Share Buttons and/or email your friends directly the link to this post below. This is a great opportunity to showcase a true American Superhero!
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I appreciate it.
