My next tribute is to one of the most brilliant women in our lifetime, Candaleeza Rice
Political Scientist, Diplomat, Professor, Musician
US Secretary of State 2005-2009
National Security Adviser 2001-2005
Sr. Director of Soviet & Eastern European Affairs

Rice was an only child. Her mother was a teacher. Her father was Dean of Stillman College, Minister and guidance counselor. Her roots are traced to slave owners on both sides of the family. She lived in Birmingham AL till 7 then lived on Stillman Campus.

At age 3 she took ballet, French and figure skating. At 15 she wanted to be a concert pianist. She still plays with a chamber group. She has played with Yo-Yo-Ma and Aretha Franklin. I cracked up when I found out her favorite band is Led Zeppelin.

When she switched her music major to International Politics, her Professor was Josef Korbel. He is Madeline Albright’s father. Albright was the first woman SOS, Rice was the second. Rice graduated Cum Laude. Rice’s father joined the Republican Party

Because the Democrats in Jim Crow Alabama of 1952 would not register him to vote but the Republicans did. She joined the Republican Party because she didn’t agree with Carter’s foreign policies. She had a super tanker named after her, The SS Candaleeza Rice.

As a Professor at Stanford, she became the first female, first Black and youngest Provost. She is on The 100 World’s Most Influential People. She has been attacked for not having children “I thought it was OK not to have children, and I thought I could still make good decisions “

She has been attacked for having radically different ideas from most Black Americans. “I have been Black all my life. Nobody needs to tell me how to be Black”
August 2012, she was one of first two women in Augusta National Gulf Club. She has authored 9 books.