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Quick Facts
- NAME: Oprah Winfrey
- OCCUPATION: Film Actress, Entrepreneur, Producer, Philanthropist, Talk Show Host, Television Producer
- BIRTH DATE: January 29, 1954 (Age: 59)
- EDUCATION: Tennessee State University
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Kosciusko, Mississippi
- Full Name: Oprah Gail Winfrey
- AKA: Oprah Winfrey
- ZODIAC SIGN: Aquarius
Best Known For
Billionaire Oprah Winfrey has hosted her own internationally popular talk show since 1986. She is also an actress, philanthropist, publisher, and producer.
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Oprah Winfrey - Mini Biography
Watch a short biography of Oprah Winfrey who hit the national spotlight with her talk show, "The Oprah Winfrey Show."
Alice Walker - The Mysterious Wonder of Life
Author Alice Walker began writing early in life. When an injury to her left eye afforded her the chance to go to College, Walker began to work towards her goal of becoming a professional writer.
Alice Walker - Pursuing Civil Rights
While at Spelman College, Alice Walker turned down a scholarship to study abroad in Paris in order to go to Mississippi to pursue civil rights equality.
Maya Angelou - On the Pulse of Morning
Listen to the poem Maya Angelou read at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration on January 20, 1993.
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Play NowOprah Winfrey. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 03:47, May 21, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/oprah-winfrey-9534419.
Oprah Winfrey. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/oprah-winfrey-9534419 [Accessed 21 May 2013].
"Oprah Winfrey." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 21 2013, 03:47 http://www.biography.com/people/oprah-winfrey-9534419.
"Oprah Winfrey," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/oprah-winfrey-9534419 [accessed May 21, 2013].
"Oprah Winfrey," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/oprah-winfrey-9534419 (accessed May 21, 2013).
Oprah Winfrey [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 21] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/oprah-winfrey-9534419.
Oprah Winfrey, http://www.biography.com/people/oprah-winfrey-9534419 (last visited May 21, 2013).
Oprah Winfrey. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/oprah-winfrey-9534419. Accessed May 21, 2013.
The media giant contributed immensely to the publishing world by launching her "Oprah's Book Club," as part of her talk show. The program propelled many unknown authors to the top of the bestseller lists and gave pleasure reading a new kind of popular prominence.
With the debut in 1999 of Oxygen Media, a company she co-founded that is dedicated to producing cable and Internet programming for women,
Contents
Winfrey ensured her place in the forefront of the media industry and as one of the most powerful and wealthy people in show business. In 2002, she concluded a deal with the network to air a prime-time complement to her syndicated talk show. Her highly successful monthly, O: The Oprah Magazine debuted in 2000, and in 2004, she signed a new contract to continue The Oprah Winfrey Show through the 2010-11 season. Now syndicated, the show is seen on nearly 212 U.S. stations and in more than 100 countries worldwide.
The Oprah Winfrey Network
In 2009, Oprah Winfrey announced that she would be ending her program when her contract with ABC ended. Soon after, she moved to her own network, the Oprah Winfrey Network, a joint venture with Discovery Communications.
Despite a financially rocky start, the network made headlines in January 2013, when it aired an interview between Winfrey and Lance Armstong, the American cyclist and seven-time Tour de France winner who was stripped of his seven Tour titles in 2012 due to doping charges. During the interview, Armstrong admitted to using performance-enhancing substances throughout his cycling career, including the hormones cortisone, testosterone and erythropoietin (also known as EPO). "I am deeply flawed ... and I'm paying the price for it, and I think that's okay. I deserve this," he stated. The interview reportedly brought in millions of dollars in revenue for OWN.
Of her interview with Armstrong, Winfrey said in a statement, "He did not come clean in the manner I expected. It was surprising to me. I would say that, for myself, my team, all of us in the room, we were mesmerized by some of his answers. I felt he was thorough. He was serious. He certainly prepared himself for this moment. I would say he met the moment. At the end of it, we both were pretty exhausted."
Activism and Charity
According to Forbes magazine, Oprah was the richest African American of the 20th century and the world's only Black billionaire for three years running. Life magazine hailed her as the most influential woman of her generation. In 2005, Business Week named her the greatest Black philanthropist in American history. Oprah's Angel Network has raised more than $51,000,000 for charitable programs, including girls' education in South Africa and relief to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Winfrey is a dedicated activist for children's rights; in 1994, President Clinton signed a bill into law that Winfrey had proposed to Congress, creating a nationwide database of convicted child abusers. She founded the Family for Better Lives foundation and also contributes to her alma mater, Tennessee State University.
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Included In These Groups
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Million-Dollar Ideas
View groupWith innovative ideas and charismatic personalities, many African-Americans have made lasting contributions to the country, while also earning millions. Oprah Winfrey emerged as a world-famous one-woman brand with her show, eventually becoming the world's first black billionaire. Robert L. Johnson started BET, the cable channel geared towards African-Americans. Athlete Michael Jordan turned into a household name through numerous endorsement deals. These people were among the first African-Americans to overcome the obstacles of discrimination and achieve top honors in their fields. With talent and determination, each one reinvented not only what it meant to be an African-American, but also what it meant to be an American.
Million-Dollar Ideas 9 people in this group
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Female Talk Show Hosts
View groupTaking on topics of politics, entertainment, women's issues and more, female talk show hosts have proven to be every bit as engaging, intelligent, and funny as their male counterparts. Oprah Winfrey's 25-year-reign as the queen of talk is unparalleled, but many other female talk show hosts have come into their own as well, including Tyra Banks, Ellen DeGeneres, Sally Jessy Raphael and Kelly Ripa.
Visit Biography.com's Women's History group to explore more biographies, photos and videos of some the world's most fascinating women.
Female Talk Show Hosts 26 people in this group
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Weight Loss Winners
View groupIt's hard to face weight gain—but it's even harder to face it when the whole world is commenting on your expanding waistline. Here are a group of stars who got in shape despite the scrutiny of the press. Their efforts serve as an inspiration to the millions out there trying to live a healthier lifestyle.
Weight Loss Winners 26 people in this group
