inherited from hattie is the pioneer spirit. even in the first decade of the 21st century, blanche is the owner of many firsts, and even though we don't like to admit it, we're reluctant to talk about it, there is a double standard in politics for women. there just is. now, i'm proud to serve with the largest number of women that the senate has ever seen, but -- and i'll say that goes double for my eight years with senator blanche lincoln. let me say just a brief word about her family. her husband steve is an old friend of mine. we trace our roots back to little rock central high school and the university of arkansas. the lord has blessed blanche and steve with two bright, energetic, athletic and even sometimes well-behaved sons -- they are, they're great -- that are currently freshmen at yorktown high school in arlington, and they bring their parents much joy, but they also are extremely proud of their mother. i've seen firsthand what a wonderful mother she has been and is, and i stand in awe. in fact, blanche is not only a goo

. >> hattie berger the wife of the principal. she wasn't supposed to rock the boat.in, had appeared before a federal grand jury, that had tried to indict the predecessor. she had been trying to vote for eight years. and they let her husband vote the principal. but they wouldn't let her. and thera lynde, he testified in the case and said, did you know she was a negro. she wrote on the form mrs. hattie m. berger. we didn't call them mrs. >> not then. why did you write the book? >> i wanted the witnesses, the brave african-americans, the local people. i would get back to washington. i wouldn't stay permanently in hattiesburg. they were going to live there. >> the hub city. i spent a lot of time at the university at southern mississippi. let me say this too. it's well-known. i am -- i love mississippi. lived there. my family has, since the '60s. and has a checkered past as many have. but i think also the message in the story, are the people such as yourself and others of all colors, who came together to right a wrong. and isn't that also part of the message, that we all

began in the back woods of mississippi where she was raised in poverty by her beloved grandmother, hattihard and showed -- proved yourself to be excellent that excellence would follow you. >> reporter: it was when were you a little girl in church that you were first told that you were gifted. >> uh-huh. >> reporter: did you even know what that meant? >> no, i didn't know what that meant. but, you know, my grandmother raised me in the church and i always say that my broadcasting career began there. and so, as i'm speaking out of the night that covers me black as a pit from pole to pole, i thank whatever gods there be for my unconquerable soul. i'm 6 years old. i don't know what the hell i'm saying but it sounded good. >> reporter: but it's called gifted. >> people would say this child is gifted, this child can talk that. was the beginning of me really feeling comfortable speaking in front of people. >> reporter: sadly, her grandmother passed away a short time later and 6-year-old oprah was sent to live with her mother in milwaukee. years of pain and abuse followed. her last chance was a f

inherited from hattie is the pioneer spirit. even in the first decade of the 21st century, blanche is the owner of many firsts, and even though we don't like to admit it, we're reluctant to talk about it, there is a double standard in politics for women. there just is. now, i'm proud to serve with the largest number of women that the senate has ever seen, but -- and i'll say that goes double for my eight years with senator blanche lincoln. let me say just a brief word about her family. her husband steve is an old friend of mine. we trace our roots back to little rock central high school and the university of arkansas. the lord has blessed blanche and steve with two bright, energetic, athletic and even sometimes well-behaved sons -- they are, they're great -- that are currently freshmen at yorktown high school in arlington, and they bring their parents much joy, but they also are extremely proud of their mother. i've seen firsthand what a wonderful mother she has been and is, and i stand in awe. in fact, blanche is not only a goo