Condolezza Rice :: Biography Biographies Bio

Introduction I. When I say the words "Condoleezza Rice", some of you are wondering what it was that I just said. A. Some may think I'm speaking another language. B. Others may know that this is a person's name. II. When I first heard the name Condoleezza Rice, I didn't know who she was either. III. Today, I am here to tell you about Condoleezza Rice, our Secretary of State. IV. I will tell you about her childhood life, what she did before she became involved with politics, and how her political career started. (Let me start by telling you a little information about when she was a little girl.) Body I. Condoleezza Rice claims that her childhood taught her determination against adversity. A. Born on November 14, 1954 in Birmingham, Alabama, Condoleezza Rice grew up in the South during the time of the civil rights movement. 1. She was the only child of Reverend John Wesley and Angelena Rice. a) Her father was a minister at Westminister Presbyterian Church. b) Her mother was a pianist, an organist, and a music teacher. 2. During the time her mother was a music teacher, she named her child Condoleezza because it was an Italian musical term that meant "with sweetness." B. When Condoleezza turned eight years old, she was attending school during the Brown vs. Board of Education. 1. She was affected by this because she lost one of her classmates. 2. The little girl's name was Denise McNair and she was killed in a church bombing. C. At the age of 15, Condoleezza's goal was to become a pianist. 1. At first she studied at a music camp. 2. When she finished there, she moved to Colorado and attended the University of Denver, where her father taught a class called "The Black Experience in America." D. But then she decided to change her mind about being a pianist and became interested in politics 1. She then took a course on International Politics, which was taught by Josef Korbel. With this, she became interested with the Soviet Union and international relations 2. She began to call her teacher "one of the most central figures in my life." (Now that you have heard her about her childhood, let me continue with her career.) II. Although she spent a lot of years in school, Condoleezza achieved her career and became a part of many different businesses. A. After graduating high school, Condoleezza attended the University of Denver. 1. When she was 19, she received her bachelor's degree in political science and Phi Beta Kappa , later she received her master's degree from the University of Norte Dame afterwards 2. When she turned 21, she decided to change her political affiliation from Democratic to Republican.