Fred Rogers Timeline
- Here is the most significant events of Fred Rogers life.
- Fred Rogers was born on March 20, 1928, in Latrobe, PA.
- Rogers attended Dartmouth College (1946-8) and Rollins College (1948-51) to earn his bachelor's degree in music composition.
- On June 9, 1952, Rogers married Sara Joanne Byrd.
- In 1954, Rogers was hired by WQED in Pittsburgh, PA for his music degree to work as a puppeteer.
- In 1959, James Byrd Rogers was born.
- In 1961, John Byrd Rogers was born.
- In 1968, Rogers created and produced Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood.
- In 1969, Rogers moved WQED and his show onto PBS, the Public Broadcasting Station. Also, he would stand in front of the U.S. Senate to defend funding for public television. He would increase PBS's funding from $9 million to $22 million.
- In 1971, Rogers created Family Communications. Inc. to create offices for WQED.
- In 1979, Rogers defended Sony in Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc., for the use of VCR's in family homes. He argued that VCR's help families who don't have a lot of time together enjoy their time at home.
- In 1997, Rogers was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Emmy's.
- In 1999, Rogers was inducted into the TV Hall of Fame.
- On August 31, 2001, Rogers ended his show after 31 remarkable seasons.
- In 2002, Rogers was awarded by President George W. Bush the Medal of Freedom, the highest political award any U.S. citizen can earn.
- On February 27, 2003, Rogers died of stomach cancer, in Pittsburgh, PA.