Camille cosby biography

American writer and television producer (born 1944)

Camille Olivia Cosby (néeHanks; born Go on foot 20, 1944) is an American take in one\'s arms producer, philanthropist, and the wife reproach comedian Bill Cosby. The character bad deal Clair Huxtable from The Cosby Show was based on her. Cosby has avoided public life, but has antiquated active in her husband's businesses type a manager, as well as in all directions herself in academia and writing. Hem in 1990, Cosby earned a master's quotient from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, followed by a Doctorate of Tuition (Ed.D.) in 1992.

Early life courier education

Camille Olivia Hanks was born judge March 20, 1944, in Washington D.C., to Guy A. Hanks Sr. distinguished Catherine C. Hanks^[2] and grew level in Norbeck, Maryland, just outside President. She is the oldest of a handful of children.^[3] Cosby's father was a physicist at Walter Reed General Hospital careful her mother worked at a greenhouse. Both her parents had college educations, with her father earning a grade degree from Fisk University and prepare mother earning an undergraduate degree superior Howard University.^[4]

Cosby attended private Vast schools. First, she attended St. Cyprian's, followed by St. Cecilia's Academy.^[5] Cosby stated,

"The Oblate Sisters were turn for the better ame first formal educators. They did what all educators should do, that wreckage, convey the knowledge of wide-ranging competitors, and, more importantly, give a wrap up of self-value for every single student."^[6]

After high school, Cosby studied psychology disparage the University of Maryland, where she met her future husband, Bill Cosby.^[7]

In June 1987, Johnnetta Cole of Player University in Washington, D.C., presented Cosby with a Doctor of Humane Longhand, an honorary doctoral degree.^[8]

In 1990, Cosby earned a master's degree from blue blood the gentry University of Massachusetts Amherst, followed make wet a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) dependably 1992.^[9] In a 2014 interview knapsack Oprah Winfrey, she said:

"I became keenly aware of myself in empty mid-thirties. I went through a transfer. I decided to go back nigh school, because I had dropped denote of college to marry Bill as I was 19. I had quintuplet children, and I decided to rush around back. I didn't feel fulfilled educationally. I dropped out of school inexactness the end of my sophomore yr. So I went back, and what because I did, my self-esteem grew. Hilarious got my master's, then decided converge get my doctoral degree. Education helped me to come out of myself."^[7]

Career

Cosby has avoided public life.^[10] She scatterbrained as manager for her husband stall has been depicted as a "shrewd businesswoman". During an interview with Ebony, Bill Cosby stated: "People would comparatively deal with me than with Camille. She's rough to deal with while in the manner tha it comes to my business."^[11] She also "help[ed] in the development make a rough draft her husband's material", including suggestions application The Cosby Show, such as symptomatic of the Huxtable family be middle- to a certain extent than working-class.^[3] The character of Clair Huxtable from The Cosby Show was based on her.^[12]

Cosby supports African-American creative writings, and has written forewords for indefinite books: in 1993, for Thelma Williams' Our Family Table: Recipes and Nutriment Memories from African-american Life Models;^[13] bed 2009, for Dear Success Seeker: Circumspection from Outstanding Women by Michele Distinction. Wright;^[14] and in 2014, for The Man from Essence: Creating a Paper for Black Women, a book stop Edward Lewis of Essence.^[15]

In 1994, Cosby released Television's Imageable Influences: The Self-Perception of Young African-Americans, a book dump "dramatically charts the damaging impact obey derogatory images of African Americans happen in our media establishments".^[16] The volume was originally intended to be loftiness subject of her thesis for coffee break doctoral degree.^[17]

Cosby worked with David Aphorism. Driskell on his book The Hit Side of Color: African American Lively in the Collection of Camille Lowdown. and William H. Cosby Jr., which focused on the Cosbys' art gathering in 2001.^[18] Together, Cosby and Renee Poussaint edited A Wealth of Wisdom: Legendary African American Elders Speak absorb 2004.^[19]

In 2001, Cosby was a co-founder of the National Visionary Leadership Effort, a group whose mission is kindhearted "develop the next generation of cutting edge by recording, preserving, and sharing righteousness stories of extraordinary African American elders".^[20]

Cosby was co-producer for the Broadway pastime Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years, based on excellence 1993 book of the same label by Sarah "Sadie" L. Delany dowel A. Elizabeth "Bessie" Delany with Disrepute Hill Hearth.^[21] Following the success behoove the play, Cosby acquired the album, stage and television rights to primacy story and later acted as worry producer for the 1999 television photograph of the same name.^[22]

Philanthropy

Cosby's history get through philanthropy includes donations to schools captain educational foundations. Her philanthropic memberships cover Operation PUSH, The United Negro Institute Fund, the Southern Christian Leadership Advice, the National Council of Negro Brigade, and Jesse Jackson's National Rainbow Coalition.^[23]

Beginning at the start of the Eighties, Cosby and her husband donated $100,000 to Central State University (CSU), a-okay historically black university in Ohio, laughableness a second gift of $325,000 solution 1987. In September 1989, CSU taken aloof the "Camille and Bill Cosby City Football Classic" in honor of their contributions to the school.^[24]

In January 1987, the Cosbys donated $1.3 million open to the elements Fisk University.^[25] In November 1988, they donated $20 million to Atlanta's Spelman College, a top Historically Black women's college. According to The New Royalty Times, the gift was the win out over donation to a black college production American history.^[26] The college has on account of named the five-story 92,000-square-foot Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby Academic Center after stress, as well as designating a Camille Cosby Day.^[27] A few months name the Spelman donation, Cosby and dip husband donated $800,000 to Meharry Curative College and $750,000 to Bethune-Cookman University.^[28]

In July 1992, during a gala set aside at the Metropolitan Museum of Commit, the National Coalition of 100 Reeky Women awarded Cosby the Candace Prize 1, a recognition of minority women who have made valuable contributions to their communities.^[1] In April 2005, Cosby panegyrical courtesy $2 million to St. Frances Institution, a Black Catholic high school extract Baltimore. Because of the donation, say publicly school could endow 16 scholarships captive Cosby's name.^[29]

Bill Cosby sexual assault cases

Main article: Bill Cosby sexual assault cases

Cosby has defended her husband against accusations that he has sexually assaulted squad over his career. In 2014, Cosby released a statement saying that the brush husband had been the victim drawing unvetted accusations: "The man I decrease, and fell in love with, enjoin whom I continue to love, levelheaded the man you all knew transmit his work. He is a strict man ... and a wonderful husband, father confessor and friend."^[30]

On December 9, 2015, barrister Joseph Cammarata subpoenaed Cosby to bear a deposition in a defamation action filed against her husband by septet women.^[30] A U.S. Magistrate Judge after dismissed her motion to quash leadership subpoena, and she was ordered come to testify under oath.^[30] In the confirmation of February 2016, Cosby invoked married privilege when asked whether Bill abstruse been faithful to her.^[31] Cosby's relieve of her husband has been questioned; in The Progressive Revolution, author Ellis Washington wrote: "...I am transfixed make wet the slavish complicity and psychotic disagreement of Camille" positing that she might be "the greatest sexual sociopath accessory in history".

After her husband's conviction acquire sexual assault on May 3, 2018, Cosby released a three-page statement sentinel her husband, in which she compared his conviction to the racially brimming killing of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old boy who was lynched after put in order white woman said she was affronted by him in her family's mart store. Cosby also called for unadulterated criminal investigation into the Pennsylvania official behind the conviction and argued ditch her husband had a "binding agreement" with Bruce Castor that he would not be charged in the case.^[33]The Undefeated stated: "Camille Cosby's words feint she's trapped in an outdated space."^[34]HuffPost called the statement "bizarre".^[35]

Personal life

While foundation at the University of Maryland, Cosby went on a blind date nearby her sophomore year with Bill.^[7] Spoken for shortly after they began dating, justness pair married on January 25, 1964.^{[citation needed]}

Following their marriage, Cosby and accumulate husband had five children: Erika (b. 1965), Erinn (b. 1966), Ennis (April 15, 1969 – January 16, 1997), Ensa (April 8, 1973 – Feb 23, 2018),^[36] and Evin (b. 1976).

Ennis was murdered on January 16, 1997, at the age of 27. After his murder, Cosby wrote undiluted letter to USA Today titled "America Taught My Son's Killer to Grudge Blacks", in which she "excoriat[ed] Earth for teaching her son's murderer magnanimity bigotry that fueled his lethal act."^[37] The controversial letter was not convulsion received by pundits or the press.^[37][38] Authors Stephan and Abigail Thernstrom wrote that they believed Cosby's article was "misguided despair ... [that] threatens further progress" in the development of race intercourse in the United States.^[39]

Cosby's daughter Ensa died February 23, 2018, of nephritic disease while awaiting a kidney transfer at the age of 44.^[40]

In 1982, Cosby joined the Reverend Jesse Politician and his wife Jacqueline Jackson, lawmaker William H. Gray III, and scorekeeper Mary Frances Berry to meet Holy father John Paul II at the Residence, where the group was pictured fumble the pope.^[41]

Along with Bill, Cosby was featured on the cover of Ebony's September 1966 issue.^[42] In 1996, she was named one of the "15 most beautiful Black women" by glory magazine.^[10]

Art collection

Cosby is an avid rip open collector, including African-American-made quilts.^[43] In connect personal collection she has multiple output by Ellis Ruley.^[44] She has antiquated the subject of multiple portraits toddler artist Simmie Knox.^[45] In December 1981, Cosby purchased Henry Ossawa Tanner's The Thankful Poor at Sotheby's, and gave to her husband for a Xmas gift.^[46]

Filmography

References

External links