Sunday, December 16, 2007

CSI:NY Star Hill Harper Returns Home to Iowa


The Hawkeye has the following story on actor Hill Harper, who is from Iowa and wrote the bestselling mentoring book “Letters to a Young Brother.”

“[H]ow many Americans know Barack Obama can play hoops. . . . That scouting report comes courtesy of Hill Harper, a star on the television show "CSI:NY," who used to run the court at Hemingway Gym with Obama in their days together at Harvard. . . . .
The Iowa City native, who is an African-American, lived for a time as a child in Keokuk and spent part of middle school and high school in Fort Madison. . . . . He was back in the area Friday putting on a full-court press for his friend, Obama, now a senator from Illinois. . . . .
Harper's deepest local connections are in Fort Madison, where his family's history reaches back six generations. His grandfather, Harry D. Harper, was a physician who, with his brothers founded a medical clinic and lab that served African-Americans from four states. . . .

Harper's concern for young minority men compelled him to publish "Letters to a Young Brother: MANifest Your Destiny" in 2006. Modeled after Rainer Maria Rilke's "Letters to a Young Poet," the motivational book answers some life questions from Harper's fans.
Harper wasn't the only writer involved, though. A few acquaintances helped out, including his old law school friend, Barack Obama. . . .

To his audience at The Blue Shop, Harper said Obama had stayed up deep into the night while on a foreign relations trip to Israel to write his entry for "Letters to a Young Brother." It wasn't like the senator had procrastinated, though. Harper only asked him to get involved on the day before the publication deadline.

That story hints at one of the characteristics Harper clearly admires most in his friend -- his commitment to service.”
The full story is here.

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