Condoleezza Rice (Blue Banner Biographies)

When Condoleezza Rice was small, her parents tried to shield her from the racism and prejudice that was prevalent in Birmingham, Alabama where she was born. Her family attended church not far from the 16th Street Baptist Church where four young girls died in a bombing on September 15, 1963. As a young African American girl, she lived in Birmingham when the civil rights movement was growing.

A talented pianist, Condi could read music notes before she could read words. She enrolled at the University of Denver when she was just 15 and earned her four-year degree by the time she was 19. Though early on it seemed her life direction was clear (she would major in music and become a concert pianist), she soon found herself interested in international affairs and changed her major to political science, specializing in international relations. From Stanford University Provost to secretary of state, the story of Condoleezza Rice is one you won’t want to miss.