Barbara Walters was born on July 9, 1925 in Chicago, Illinois. She is the daughter of Earl and Trudy Walters. Her father was a newspaperman and her mother was a homemaker. She has two brothers: Robert and Richard
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Her grandfather, William Walters, was a pastor and her great-grandfather was a slave owner and cotton planter in Georgia. She grew up in Atlanta, Georgia until she graduated from high school at which time she moved to New York City to attend Hunter College studying English literature. Upon completion of her studies there she returned home to Atlanta and began working as a reporter for the "Atlanta Journal".
It was during this period that she met her future husband, William David Walters. Barbara and William married on December 23, 1946. They had two children: Scott and Susan.
In 1956 Barbara enrolled at the University of Georgia's School of Journalism where she earned her degree in journalism, graduating with honors in 1960. After graduation she worked as a journalist for several newspapers and magazines including "The Atlanta Constitution", "The National Observer" and "The American Lawyer." She also began writing her first book. Barbara received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) in 2001 as well as an honorary doctorate from Spelman College.