Stedman Graham

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Stedman Graham (b. 6 March 1951) is an American educator, author, businessman and speaker, although he is perhaps best known as the very visible long-time companion of Oprah Winfrey.

Graham is an entrepreneur, serving as CEO of S. Graham & Associates, a Chicago-based corporate and educational marketing and consulting firm. He is also founder of AAD (formerly, Athletes Against Drugs), a non-profit organization that provides services to underserved youth and has awarded over $1.5 million in scholarships since its founding in 1985.

Graham has been the subject of much gossip and publicity over the years, most notably through tabloid articles claiming to chronicle his relationship with Winfrey. Most recently, his one-time connection to conservative commentator Armstrong Williams was spotlighted. Williams was recently censured for accepting $250,000 of U.S. government funds for publicly praising the No Child Left Behind Act without admitting he had been paid to do so. Graham, who founded a public relations firm, the Graham-Williams Group, with Williams over 14 years ago, was not implicated and, although Williams has retained the company name, Graham has had no financial interest in the firm.

After attending Weatherford College Graham received a Bachelor's degree in social work from Hardin-Simmons University and received his Master's degree in Education from Ball State University. Coker College awarded him an honorary doctorate in Humanities. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago.

Graham hails from Whitesboro, New Jersey. He went to Middle Township High School and was a 1,000-point scorer for the boys varsity basketball team.^{[citation needed]}