Oprah Winfrey (born January 29, 1954, Kosciusko, Mississippi, U.S) is an Emmy Award-winning talk show host, media executive, Academy Award-nominated actress, and philanthropist. She’s widely known for being the host of her wildly popular program, The Oprah Winfrey Show, which aired for 25 seasons, from 1986 to 2011. Its success helped her become the world’s first Black woman billionaire in 2003.
A self-made success story, Winfrey is the recipient of hundreds of awards, from The People’s Choice Award for her talk show to the prestigious National Civil Rights Museum’s Freedom Award in 2005.
Early Life and Education
Born in the rural town of Kosciusko, Mississippi, Oprah Gail Winfrey was named after the biblical figure Orpah, but quickly, her family started spelling it Oprah, which easier to pronounce.
After a troubled adolescence in a small farming community, where she was sexually abused by a number of male relatives and friends of her mother, Vernita Lee, Winfrey moved to Nashville to live with her father, Vernon Winfrey, a barber and businessman. She attended East Nashville High School and won the Miss Black Nashville pageant in 1972.
She joined Tennessee State University in 1972 and majored in speech communications and performing arts. She started working in radio and television in Nashville and dropped out of college in 1975. Years later, she resumed her studies and graduated as part of Tennessee State’s 1986 class.
Broadcasting Career
Winfrey landed her first television job at WLAC-TV (now WTVF) at age 19, a CBS station in Nashville, Tennessee. 1n 1976, she transferred to WJZ-TV, the ABC affiliate in Baltimore, Maryland. However, she found herself constrained by the objectivity required of news reporting, and in 1977 became cohost of the Baltimore morning show ‘People Are Talking.’
The position proved fruitful as she moved to Chicago to host the faltering talk show AM Chicago. Her prowess helped turn the program into a success, and in 1985, it was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show. The program became the highest-rated television talk show in the United States and earned several Emmy Awards.
Maintaining ownership of her shows made it possible for Winfrey to expand her business endeavors. In 1998, she co-founded Oxygen Media, a programming company. She also set up the foundation for the 2000 publication of O, The Oprah Magazine.
Not to mention, she co-authored multiple books on diet and exercise, and launched her influential Book Club in 1996. Winfrey published several self-help books, including The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life’s Direction and Purpose (2019) and What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing (2021; written with Bruce D. Perry).
Winfrey co-produced a Broadway musical version of The Color Purple, created the Oprah.com website, and launched a 24-hour channel called Oprah Radio on XM Satellite Radio.
In 2015, Oprah Winfrey bought a 10% equity stake in Weight Watchers International (WTW) and became a spokeswoman for the popular subscription weight loss program. In 2002, she made TIME magazine’s Top 100 list of influential people for the first time, a fete she has achieved 10 times, more recently on 2022.
Oprah Winfrey Net Worth
According to Forbes Magazine, Winfrey was the richest African American of the 20th century. She became the world’s only Black billionaire in 2003 and held the distinction for three years running. Her net worth is estimated at $2.8 billion, primarily due to her media empire and successful ventures.
Winfrey is known for her extremely charitable and philanthropic efforts. Since 1987, Winfrey’s private charity, The Oprah Winfrey Charity Foundation, has awarded grants to nonprofits that support the inspiration, empowerment, and education of women, children, and families around the world. Her motto of “Intent and Services’ reflects her sheer commitment to her charitable efforts.
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