Making Toni Morrison
She is one of America’s most celebrated literary figures. But before a Pulitzer and a Nobel, she was a single mother making ends meet.
WBEZ’s critically-acclaimed bio-podcast series explores how an icon is made. Providing an unmatched view from the beginning, all the way to their rise to the top.
She is one of America’s most celebrated literary figures. But before a Pulitzer and a Nobel, she was a single mother making ends meet.
He was the outspoken Chairman of the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party until he was murdered at just 21 years old.
She’s a one of the most celebrated minds of the 20th century, yet her legacy defies category.
Before an ACL injury derailed his career, Derrick Rose was an NBA titan, coming up on Chicago’s South Side basketball courts.
Before she topped the charts and became a billionaire, Rihanna covered Destiny’s Child songs on her home island of Barbados.
He went from skating around in a Rockford cul-de-sac to transforming high fashion on the runways of Paris and streets across America.
Regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time, tennis legend Serena Williams blazed a trail for generations to come.
Before she was Whoopi with an EGOT under her belt, she was just Caryn with a love for the stage.
America is seeing an outcry against drag performances from state legislatures. And one icon remains at the battlefront.
First she dominated network television, then she dominated streaming.