Bertice Berry facts for kids

Bertrice Berry (born in 1960) is an amazing American sociologist, author, speaker, and teacher. She is known for her inspiring stories and helpful advice.

Growing Up and Getting an Education

Bertrice Berry grew up in Wilmington, Delaware. She was one of seven children raised by her single mom. Her family didn't have a lot of money.

Even though some people told her not to go to college, Bertrice worked hard. She earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from Jacksonville University in Florida in 1982. She graduated with magna cum laude honors, which means "with great praise" – a very high achievement!

She didn't stop there! Bertrice went on to get a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in 1986. Then, she earned a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in 1988. Both of these advanced degrees were in sociology from Kent State University in Ohio.

In 1994, her first university, Jacksonville University, gave her another special award. It was an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (D.H.L.) degree. This shows how much they admired her achievements.

Bertrice Berry's Career Journey

After finishing her Ph.D., Bertrice Berry taught sociology at Kent State University. Sociology is the study of how people live together in groups and societies.

In the early 1990s, she decided to try something new. She left teaching at the university to become an entertainer, speaker, and comedian. She loved making people laugh and sharing her wisdom.

Her Own Talk Show

From 1993 to 1994, Bertrice had her very own TV talk show! It was called The Bertice Berry Show. She was the host and helped produce it.

There's a fun story about her show's first day. The debut was delayed because of important news about a peace agreement. When her show finally aired an hour later, Bertrice joked, "We've got peace, now here's Bertice." Even though the show didn't last long, she always kept her sense of humor!

Other TV Appearances and Books

Besides her own show, Bertrice Berry has appeared on many other famous TV programs. These include The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. She also gave a TEDx Talk, which are popular speeches about interesting ideas.

Bertrice is also a talented author. She has written several books, including two memoirs. Memoirs are books about a person's own life story. Her memoirs are called The World According to Me (1996) and I'm On My Way, But Your Foot Is On My Head: A Black Woman's Story of Getting Over Life's Hurdles (1997).

She also wrote The Ties That Bind: A Memoir of Race, Memory and Redemption (2009). This book shares stories about her African American heritage. In 2010, she wrote A Year to Wellness and Other Weight Loss Secrets. This helpful book won an NAACP Image Award in 2012 for being an outstanding instructional book.

Today, Bertrice Berry lives in Savannah, Georgia. She is also the co-owner of a place called Iona's Gallery & Great Finds.