Be a Man: Mister Rodgers, My Father, and Me

Tom Junod

Location

Janet Ayers Academic Center, Room 4094

Presentation Type

Presentation

Start Date

24-9-2025 10:00 AM

Description

I grew up with a father who believed — and told me, in no uncertain terms — that he knew the secrets of what it took to be a man. But my life with Lou Junod was not so clear cut: I knew from an early age that he had his own secrets and made it my business to find them out. When I became a writer, I met a Fred Rogers, who from his televised “Neighborhood” had assured generations of American children that they were not only special, but loved. He was a very different kind of man from my Dad. but by showing me the power of kindness he let me finally decide the kind of man I wanted to be. He also helped me find the courage to write my memoir of my father, “In The Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means To Be a Man.”

Comments

The Theme of September 24 is "Unleash Hospitality with Love"

Featured Speaker

WELLCore: Intellectual Wellness

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS
 
Sep 24th, 10:00 AM

Be a Man: Mister Rodgers, My Father, and Me

Janet Ayers Academic Center, Room 4094

I grew up with a father who believed — and told me, in no uncertain terms — that he knew the secrets of what it took to be a man. But my life with Lou Junod was not so clear cut: I knew from an early age that he had his own secrets and made it my business to find them out. When I became a writer, I met a Fred Rogers, who from his televised “Neighborhood” had assured generations of American children that they were not only special, but loved. He was a very different kind of man from my Dad. but by showing me the power of kindness he let me finally decide the kind of man I wanted to be. He also helped me find the courage to write my memoir of my father, “In The Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means To Be a Man.”