Roxana Saberi
An American journalist whose wrongful imprisonment in Iran became a powerful testament to resilience and the pursuit of truth.
Born 1977 (age 49)·American journalist·Birthday: April 26·Generation X
Biography
Iranian authorities arrested American journalist Roxana Saberi in 2009, accused her of espionage, and sentenced her to eight years in prison after a closed-door trial. The daughter of an Iranian father and Japanese mother had moved to Tehran as a freelance reporter, drawn by a desire to understand the complex society. Her work included a book on Iranian youth. During her 101-day ordeal in Evin Prison, she went on a hunger strike, sparking an international campaign for her release. An appeal won her freedom. Saberi transformed the trauma into a memoir and returned to journalism. She joined CBS News, covering global conflicts and human rights with a hard-won perspective. Her experience illustrates the risks journalists face and the unyielding importance of bearing witness.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Roxana was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Roxana Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Roxana's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Authored the memoir 'Between Two Worlds: My Life and Captivity in Iran' detailing her imprisonment.
- Worked as a correspondent for CBS News, reporting from conflict zones and on major international stories.
- Was awarded the 2009 Medill Medal for Courage in Journalism for her resilience while imprisoned.
- Earned a master's degree in international relations from the University of Cambridge.
Did You Know?
She was Miss North Dakota USA in 1997 and competed in the Miss USA pageant.
Saberi holds black belts in both tae kwon do and karate.
She is fluent in English, Persian, Japanese, and French.
Her father, Reza Saberi, is a microbiologist who was also born in Iran.
““Even in our darkest moments, we have choices. We can choose to give up or to fight.””
