Marcia Harvey might not bear all the glory for her efforts today, but she will always be remembered as the powerhouse behind Steve Harvey’s success. The successful Steve Harvey that the world knows today struggled a lot before becoming famous.
The multitalented TV personality worked multiple jobs before becoming successful. At the time, he was into boxing. Also, he was once a mailman and had experience as an autoworker.
Throughout those unclear seasons, Marcia Harvey was the wife that held things down at home for him and their three kids. Although their marriage ended in an ugly divorce, they remain close. They give each other mutual respect and effectively co-parent their three adult kids.
Who Is Marcia Harvey?
Marcia Harvey is an African American businesswoman and author most popular as Steve Harvey’s first wife. Marcia was born in 1955 in Cleveland, Ohio. Although married to one Larry Greene, she remains known as Steve Harvey’s first wife. She was married to Steve for 13 years, and in all that time, she managed to stay away from the limelight.
Most Steve Harvey fans know that he has a large family, but not many know that the large family originated with Marcia. The pair married in 1981 until 1994 when they divorced. Within that time, they had three kids. Brandi Harvey and Karli Harvey were their first twin daughters, then Broderick Harvey Jr.
What Happened to Marcia’s Marriage With Steve?
During the time Marcia and Steve were married to each other, he struggled to make a name for himself. But his family collapsed once he began to push harder to break through in his career as an entertainer. His struggle for success eventually led to his divorce from Marcia Harvey.
However, there were other rumors that their split resulted from Steve cheating on Marcia and deserting her when she was expecting their third child. But Marcia gave no attention to the gossip that surrounded their marriage.
On the other hand, Steve once told People that the collapse of his marriage with Marcia was strictly due to his pursuit of a comedy career. He narrated how he resigned from his Insurance Salesmanship job after he won his first $50 from performing at a stand-up comedy show.
He said the decision did not go down well with his ex-wife. But he recalled thinking then, “I’m married; I have twins. I’m supposed to provide for them, but I have to take this chance.”
The Untold Details About Their Divorce
The inside story of their divorce had some elements far from common knowledge. Though Marcia Harvey reportedly filed for divorce in 1993, reports by RadarOnline show that their court documents date their separation as August 1990.
According to a source familiar with Marcia and Steve’s story, it was revealed that “Steve’s behavior toward Marcia and his family was worse than despicable!” When their divorce was finalized in 1994, the court ordered Steve Harvey to pay his ex-wife a monthly support sum of $5,100. However, the comedian failed to make any payments, forcing Marcia Harvey to submit an affidavit.
The court found Steve Harvey guilty of owing his ex-wife over $36,000 in accumulated monthly support fees. Then it was discovered that Steve had also started living with his second wife, Mary Lee Harvey, even before his divorce from Marcia Harvey was finalized.
It was indeed an ugly separation. However, despite the turmoil, the pair have forgiven and put the past behind them.
Marcia Harvey’s Career
Marcia Harvey’s career is significantly entwined with her relationship with her celebrity ex-husband, Steve Harvey. Despite the challenges of her marriage and the eventual divorce, Marcia launched her fashion line and achieved success. She also raised her three children while holding a steady job as a single mother.
Marcia is also a published author as she published her first poetry book, “Marcia: Eyes to the Soul,” in April 2011. The book talks about her life with Steve Harvey and how she has moved on after their divorce. She went on to write two more books, “Marcia: Poems From The Heart” (2011) and “Marcia: Thoughts From My Mind” (2014).
“Marcia: Thoughts From My Mind,” which she published in 2014, was the last book of the trilogy series. It was a compilation of poems from Marcia’s womanhood. She also wrote the book to outline how she has learned life’s lessons and discovered God’s immeasurable and unconditional love, grace, and mercy.
She chronicles her experience of love, betrayal, heartbreak, disappointment, pain, rejection, freedom, liberation, self-discovery, and restoration.
