Black History: Oprah
Written by wdkxwp on February 20, 2016
Oprah Winfrey is the first African American billionaire best known for hosting her own internationally popular talk show from 1986 to 2011.
She is also an actress, philanthropist, publisher and producer. Oprah Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954 in Kosciusko, Mississippi. In 1971, she attended Tennessee State University and started working in radio and television broadcasting in Nashville. In 1976, Oprah hosted the TV chat show, People Are Talking, in Baltimore, Maryland. She stayed there for eight years before moving to Chicago to host her own morning show called A.M. Chicago. Within several years, she took her show from last place to first place in the ratings. In 1985, she received a role in Steven Spielberg’s film, The Color Purple. In 1986, Oprah launched her own nationally syndicated program, the Oprah Winfrey Show. The Oprah Winfrey Show aired for 25 seasons, from 1986 to 2011. After the finale in 2011, Oprah launched her own TV network, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). Forbes named Oprah the most powerful celebrity of 2013. Life says she is the most influential woman of our generation. In November 2013, Winfrey received the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidental Medal of Freedom. President Barack Obama gave her this award for her contributions to her country. Today, Oprah Winfrey has a net worth of $3.2 billion.
