Fred Rogers

            "There's only one person in the world like you. And I happen to like you just the way you are". These words, spoken by Fred McFeely to his grandson Fred Rogers, made him feel worthy and loved. Little did he know he would be promoting the same message years later to children all across the nation. That simple message would become the foundation for all of Rogers' work. Fred Rogers was born on March 20, 1928 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Growing up, Rogers was shy, lonely and sickly. He spent most of his time inside; playing his piano and with his puppets. He especially looked forward to spending time with his grandfather, Fred McFeely who encouraged Rogers to "be all that he could be".  Incidentally, Fred Rogers created the show "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" to teach kids important life lessons and show them that they can reach their full potential.  The show aired on February 19, 1968 and ran for over thirty years. It  won numerous awards touching the hearts of many. Fred Rogers is an inspiration through the kindness and dedication he shared towards his viewers, and his promoting of self worth among children.

Fred Rogers' main purpose of his show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood was to make kids feel special and for them to embrace their uniqueness. Just as his grandfather spoke to him, Fred Rogers knew how to relate to his audience talking to them as a friend would.  At the beginning of each show children would be greeted by Mr. Rogers singing his friendly tune - "It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood. A beautiful day for a neighbor... Please, won't you be my neighbor?" "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood has differed from many other children's television programs because Rogers has actively sought to converse with his preschool audience, not to talk at them. He also speaks to them on their level and holds a genuine interest and concern in their lives and problems" (Contemporary Heroes and Heroines). 

             Fred Rogers truly cared about his viewers. His kindness was evident when shortly after the 2001 terrorist attacks, he "made a series of public service announcements to reassure children that they would be safe and cared for". (Scribner's) His show had already ended by that time, but Rogers continued to care and think about his viewers.  His dedication was also something to be admired as it went beyond television.  Early in his career, Rogers started to work part-time on his master of divinity degree at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He earned his degree in 1962 and was subsequently ordained as a Presbyterian minister by the Pittsburgh Presbytery. (Encyclopedia World of Biography, 2004). Nevertheless, his first love was the show he created for television: Mr. Rogers Neighborhood allowed Mr. Rogers to talk to preschoolers at their level and helped them realize their self-worth. He also helped children deal with emotions such as apprehension, fear, happiness, loneliness and sadness (to name a few.) "For more than forty-five years, Fred Rogers has been entertaining, enlightening, and informing preschool children" (Contemporary Heroes and Heroines). He made over seven hundred episodes over the course of forty five years; each positive message delivered with a smile. He spent his whole life sculpting the minds of children.

For over 45 years Fred Rogers has inspired and enlightened children and adults of all ages; by preaching the idea that we are all special. Dedicating his life he did more than just teach kids how to appreciate themselves. "In the early 1970s, he established Family Communications, Inc., a nonprofit organization which was committed to producing family-oriented materials for mass distribution" (Contemporary Heroes and Heroines). He sought out to help families in need, proving to be the kind-hearted man many saw him as. Yet, he wanted children to know that the inside of a person was more important than the outside. Furthermore, he continued to focus on building and nurturing the self-esteem of children by "repeatedly stressing the unique value of each human being-the traits that make us who we are and no one else" (Encyclopedia World of Biography, 2004).  Fred McFeely Rogers passed away on February 27, 2003. Fred Rogers was an inspiration to many. He once mentioned that he wanted to be remembered "as a person who cared for his neighbor and his neighbor's children" (The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives).

"Fred McFeely Rogers." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Vol. 18. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Student Resources In Context. Web. 21 May 2013.

"Fred McFeely Rogers." Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 21 May. 2013.

"Fred Rogers." Contemporary Heroes and Heroines. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Biography In Context. Web. 21 May 2013.

"Fred Rogers." Newsmakers. Detroit: Gale, 2000. Student Resources In Context. Web. 21 May 2013.

"Fred Rogers." The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2007. Biography In Context. Web. 21 May 2013.