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Bill Cosby

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Bill Cosby: Hello Friend/Ennis William Cosby Foundation
Celebrities are individuals who have achieved things that are renown and known by many people. One notable celebrity is William Henry “Bill” Cosby Jr. Bill Cosby is an extremely well known celebrity in the entertainment world, and in his charity work. Television in the 1960’s showed very few racial minorities. (Hillstrom, 51) But Bill Cosby still became a successful actor and comedian against all odds. Bill Cosby also has taken part in various charity work. His most well known charity work was his work done with the Hello Friend Ennis William Cosby Foundation. His charity work was to complete a 5 year plan to address needs and capabilities of all students (“Bill Cosby”). Bill Cosby was born in Philadelphia on July 12, 1937, and was the oldest of 4 boys. His mother was Anna Pearl Cosby and his father was William Henry Cosby (“Bill Cosby: Actor, Comedian, Author” 112). Cosby lived a somewhat hard childhood. His little brother James died of rheumatic fever when he was only 6 (“Bill Cosby”). Cosby loosing his brother was a tough experience for him. Cosby also had a rough time in school as well. Cosby was captain of baseball and track teams in high school, Cosby’s grades in school were slipping though from his busy schedule of sports and work “(Bill Cosby: Actor, Comedian, Author” 112).
As Cosby became older he began to follow his fathers footsteps. In 1956, Cosby Joined the US Navy (“Bill Cosby”). Cosby’s roots of the desire to help people began with his naval service. Cosby would be serving his time in the navy at the Bethesda Naval Hospital stationed in maryland (“Bill Cosby”). For 4 years Cosby served by helping injured and hurt soldiers with physical therapy (“Bill Cosby: Actor, Comedian, Author” 113). When Cosby finished his service he went on to college. But Cosby would drop out of college to pursue career in comedy which was very displeasing to his father. (“Bill Cosby”) Cosby would now continue to grow a family of his own. Cosby married to Camille O. Cosby and would have 5 children, his daughters Erika, Erinn, Ensa, and Evin. As well as son Ennis (“Bill Cosby: Actor, Comedian, Author” 113). Along with his family Cosby’s career was taking off around this time as well. Cosby starred in a television series called iSpy, because of Cosby being african american and in a T.V. series during this time period the show promoted equality (“Bill Cosby”) It was no surprise people claimed Cosby was bringing equality with his take on iSpy. Cosby was the first African American to be on a prime time television series.(“Bill Cosby”)
Cosby wold soon become an extremely well know celebrity around the nation. Cosby is most well known for being the spokesperson for Coca-Cola and Jello Pudding (“Bill Cosby: Actor, Comedian, Author” 112). With Cosby being the face of two huge corporations it is no surprise he would be worth millions. Cosby was actually the first african american to be worth more than one hundred million dollars (“Bill Cosby: Actor, Comedian, Author” 114). It would seem Cosby had for the most part a very successful life and career. But In 1997, Cosby’s only son Ennis was killed on a freeway in Los Angles while pulling over to change a flat tire (“Bill Cosby”). This was a huge blow to Cosby and his family but it was Ennis’s death that would influence Cosby to want to help other people further. Cosby formed the non profit charity foundation in 1997, the Hello Friend Ennis William Cosby Foundation (“Hello Friend Ennis William Cosby Foundation”). Cosby would do a lot of good with this charity for kids all around the nation. The foundation wanted to provide for and revise academic requirement and curriculum to reach all kids (Brokaw, Disability Compass). Cosby really wanted this foundation to help kids with education. The foundation created the EWC graduate certificate program and produced 239 Cosby scholars from 2000-2008 (“Hello Friend Ennis William Cosby Foundation”). The foundation set up many other programs to help all age groups of education. The foundation developed Whats Up? a program to help high and middle school students develop basic skills to graduate (“Hello Friend Ennis William Cosby Foundation”). In low income areas some young children had never seen a brand new book before but Cosby’s charity made that possible. The foundation launched The class room library project brought 1.3 million new reading books to schools, Books reached 588 cities to children (“Hello Friend Ennis William Cosby Foundation”). Cosby’s charity soon became very well known. The foundation funded and co produced an award winning documentary film about learning disabilities (“Hello Friend Ennis William Cosby Foundation”) After a hard working and productive 5 years The foundation suspended its day to day operations in late December 2008. (Brokaw, Disability Compass)

Works Cited

“hello friend/ennis william cosby foundation.” Bill Cosby,N.P.,19Jun 2009.Web.8 Feb 2013. Joel, Brokaw.”Hello Friend: the Ennis William Cosby Foundation.”Disability Compas.Web.12 Feb 2013 “Bill Cosby:Actor,Comdedian,Author” Newspapers:the people behind todays headlines, Detroit 1999. Hillstrom, Laurie.”Bill Cosby.” Television in American Society: Biographies. Detroit:2007.

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