OPRAH Winfrey

Biography:

Oprah Winfrey was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi to her unwed, teenage mother. She lived on a farm and her grandmother taught her how to read and write. She looked up to her grandmother because her grandmother was a role model for her since her mother was always working. When Oprah moved to Milwaukee with her mother, she experienced major life changing events. Her mother worked all day, leaving Oprah alone and molested by male relatives. This devastation lead her to run away from home and when she did she was sent to juvenile detention homes but was denied because of limited space. She gave birth to a son, but he died of infancy and then went to Tennessee to live with her father.

Moving in with her father was the best decision she could ever make. He gave her a new life and Oprah started to become very successful. She won the Miss Black Tennessee beauty pageant and was offered a job at a radio station, serving the African American community in Nashville. After working for the radio show she began her own talk show series and became one of the most iconic people in American history.

The Oprah Winfrey Show:

Her show began like many other talk shows, but after many years and many awards, Oprah’s show broke from the norms of the talk shows. Her show integrated spiritual values, healthy living and self-help which lead to an even bigger following. Her show also integrated many famous people and big societal issues such as gay and lesbian issues. With many different issues being discussed, Oprah became even more of a star.

She’s relatable:

Many people who do not know Oprah, don’t know what she has gone through, but the people who do know her know that she is just like other people and has suffered many hard ships. They also know that she is very well-rounded by the issues she discusses on her talk show and she tries to cover “all bases” with what issues are going on in the society. People also know she is one of the most giving and influential people in the United State’s history. She has opened many doors for people from her amazing contributions, such as the school for girls in Africa. Opening that school demonstrated Oprah’s concern for girls of color and she wanted to give them a shot of a good life and not have them go through what she had to endure.

Her legacy:

Oprah has become one of the most iconic people in the United State’s history. She has broken many cultural norm barriers and has left her mark on the society by the work in her talk show and her contributions through out the world.