OPRAH WINFREY
The first six years of Oprah's life was spent on a farm in Kosciusko, where she lived with her grandmother. Oprah says that her grandmother probably saved her life. By age three, she was reading aloud and performing recitations. Her grandmother taught her a love of reading and books, which she retains to this day.
Oprah's grandmother told her time after time that she was "gifted." Thus, she learned at a young age that she was special. These are probably the things that gave her the courage to face the life of obstacles that was her future.
At age six, Oprah was sent to live with her mother in Milwakee. Here she suffered a life of abuse. When she was 9, Oprah was raped by a male cousin. A male friend of Vernita's and Oprah's uncle both sexually molested Oprah when she was young. She kept the abuse as secret, but experienced anger and pain. She began to rebel. By the time she was 13, she had begun to run away and get into trouble. Vernita decided to send her to a juvenile detention center. Luckily, the home had no available beds. Vernita sent her to Nashville to live with her strict, disciplinarian father, Vernon. "As strict as he was," Oprah says, "he had some concerns about me making the best of my life, and would not accept anything less than what he thought was my best."
Vernon set down the rules. He gave Oprah a curfew, demanded she make good grades and encouraged her to be the best that she could be. He insisted she read one book a week and submit a book report to him. He encouraged her to turn her life around.
Oprah enrolled at Tennessee State University. She studied performing arts and speech. She landed her first job at WVOL radio in Nashville when she was seventeen. Two years later, she was hired by WTVF-TV in Nashville as a news anchor.
Oprah moved to Baltimore in 1976, to join WJZ-TV as news anchor. By 1978, she was the host of "People Are Talking," for WJZ-TV, but continued as a news reporter and anchor person. She worked at WJZ for eight years.
In 1984, Oprah was recruited by WLS-TV to host, "AM Chicago." It was competing against Phil Donahue and its ratings were very low. Within one month of Oprah hosting the show its ratings had far excelled that of Donahue's. Oprah's show was the "hottest" in Chicago. By September 1985, the show's name had been changed. It was now known as "The Oprah Winfrey Show." In less than a year, "The Oprah Winfrey Show," had expanded to an hour. By 1986, it was the number one talk show in the nation. In 1987, Oprah's talk show had received two "Daytime Emmy Awards," for "Outstanding Host," "Outstanding Direction," and "Outstanding Talk/Service Program." In 1988, Oprah won a second Emmy for "Outstanding Talk/Service Program." The same year Oprah received the International Radio and Television Society's "Broadcaster of the Year Award." Oprah was only the fifth woman and also the youngest person ever to win the award.
Oprah was a great fan of Alice Walker's, "The Color Purple." In a recent TV interview, Oprah said that she walked to work with a backpack filled with copies of the book. She would stop people along the way and give them copies. She felt everyone should read "The Color Purple."
In 1985, Oprah auditioned and was chosen, to play Sophie in Steven Spielberg's adaptation of "The Color Purple." Her performance was a hit. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for "Best Supporting Actress." She was also nominated for an Oscar for her performance.
Oprah loved acting. She was accepted for a part in "Native Son," an adaptation of the 1940 classic by Richard Wright. The critics lauded her performance.
Oprah had a desire to produce quality entertainment. This prompted her to form her own production company, HARPO Productions Inc. (Oprah spelled backwards.) The company was based in Chicago. In October 1988, HARPO Productions acquired all rights for the "Oprah Winfrey Show." Oprah now controlled her own destiny. She was the first woman in history to own and produce her own talk show.
In 1989, HARPO Productions produced, "The Women of Brewster Place." Oprah starred in the mini-series, as well as being the Executive Producer. In 1993, "There Are No Children Here," and "Before Women Had Wings," were produced by HARPO. Oprah starred in and produced both of these shows.
For ten years Oprah had been working on what she referred to as her "baby." In 1998, the film, "Beloved," was released at the box office. It was a complete failure and Oprah's first. She was devastated.
Oprah's memories of a childhood scarred by sexual abuse motivated her to initiate a campaign to establish a national database for convicted child abusers in 1991. She testified before a US Senate Judiciary Committee on behalf of a National Child Protection Act. President Clinton passed the "Oprah Bill," in 1993. This database is now available to all law enforcement agencies.
Time Magazine voted Oprah one of the "100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century." In 1998, the National Academy of Television Arts and Science presented her with a "Lifetime Achievement Award." Oprah's Book Club selections became instant bestsellers. For her service to books and authors, she was presented with the National Book Foundation's 50th Anniversary gold medal in 1999.
In 2000, Oprah's "Angel Network," began presenting a "Use Your Life Award," of $100,000. To people who are "using their life to improve the life of others."
In 2003, Forbes Magazine listed Oprah as the first African-American woman to become a billionaire.
Oprah Winfrey was born facing almost insurmountable obstacles. She has overcome them all to give America a lasting legacy. Oprah has walked through the fire. Instead of letting this fire overtake her life, she has become a woman forged in fire. Hats off to Oprah!
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