(7 Aug 2019) OPRAH SHARES THE BIGGEST LESSON SHE LEARNED FROM HER FRIEND AND IDOL, NOBEL LAUREATE TONI MORRISON
Oprah Winfrey praised her friend and idol, Nobel laureate Toni Morrison, who passed away Monday August 5.
Winfrey attended the premiere for her latest show on OWN, "David Makes Man" in Los Angeles Tuesday night (AUG 6). Both she and Michael B. Jordan serve as executive producers on the series which premiers August 14.
Winfrey and Morrison had known each other for more than 20 years, dating back to when Winfrey was so determined to learn the author's unlisted phone number that she called the local fire department.
When Winfrey started her book club, in 1996, she was thinking of Morrison.
The queen of talk shows remembered the first time she invited her on the show.
"The very first time I did her on 'The Oprah Show' she said to me, 'You know I've always known I was gallant.' And I was like who the hell knows their gallant? Toni Morrison does," said Oprah.
While thinking back to the most important lesson she took away from the famed author, she told the story about something that happened to Morrison as a single mother to her sons.
"And she said, 'When my boys used to come in the room, I would always say pull up your pants Ford. Comb your hair. Where's your shirt? Button your shirt.' And she said, 'What I realize is that what every child really wants to know is do your eyes light up when I enter the room?' She said her son said, 'Mommy every time you see me you only see what's wrong.' She said she realized. 'Do your eyes light up when I enter the room?' Those words I think resonated," explained Oprah.
The pioneer and reigning giant of modern literature whose imaginative power in "Beloved," ''Song of Solomon" and other works transformed American letters by dramatizing the pursuit of freedom within the boundaries of race passed away peacefully Monday night surrounded by family and friends.
Her admirers were countless — from fellow authors, college students and working people to Obama and fellow former President Bill Clinton; to Winfrey, who idolized Morrison and helped greatly expand her readership.
"Black Panther's" Jordan, described her as a phenomenal human being.
"I had the opportunity to play (Guy) Montag in 'Fahrenheit 451' and we used a lot of her novels as references throughout that,  throughout that movie," said Jordan. "And yeah, it's like the words don't seem adequate enough. They don't seem like they're enough for what she's done. The legacy that she leaves behind, the inspiration that she was so many people and natural born activist leader. Yes, she's an amazing soul. So, you know it's - we lost something special."

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