Phylicia Rashad and her sister played legendary motherly roles on “The Cosby Show” and “A Different World” respectively for decades. But in real life, it was their own mother, Dr. Vivian Ayers, who has been a major support to them, often photographed with the ladies at awards shows and premieres. She also taught them, among many other things, that there were no limits to what they could do and where they could go.

Rashad and Allen say they learned a great deal about motherhood, success and just life in general from their mom, who just turned 102 years old.

Dr. Ayers literary career began in Houston, Texas with the publication of “Spice of Dawns” (1952), a collection of poems that was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. “Hawk,” an allegory of freedom made analogous to space flight, followed and was published on July 11, 1957, just 11 weeks before the launch of Sputnik I. “Hawk” would later earn praise from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at their Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center where enlarged reproductions of the writings are exhibited.

For the full story, please visit Blackdoctor.org