Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Gail Winfrey is best known for hosting her own international talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show from 1986 to 2011. After ending her show, Winfrey launched her own TV network, the Oprah Winfrey Network, OWN.

Ms. Winfrey was born January 29, 1954 in Kosciusko, Mississippi.

After surviving sexual abuse by male relatives and friends of her mother, Vernita, Winfrey moved to Nashville to live with her father, Vernon, a barber and businessman. In 1971, Winfrey entered Tennessee State University and began working in radio and television broadcasting in Nashville.

Winfrey then moved to Baltimore in 1976 and began hosting People Are Talking. She caught the eye of a Chicago TV station who gave Winfrey her own morning show.

Within several months, Winfrey took her show from last place to first place in ratings, bypassing Phil Donahue. Winfrey's show grossed $125 million by the end of its first year. Winfrey gained ownership of the program from ABC, drawing it under the control of her production company, Harpo Productions, making more money from syndication.

Winfrey didn't become the billionaire media executive and philanthropist she is today for nothing. Just some of the short version on how Winfrey became the first Black self-made billionaire woman back in 2003: She continues to be a great influencer in the publishing world, launching "Oprah's Book Club (1996);" In 1999 Winfrey debuted Oxygen Media to produce cable and Internet programming for women; in 2000, the popular monthly Oprah Magazine debuted;

In 2015, Winfrey bought stock in Weight Watchers, became an advisor for the company, and secured herself a seat on the board of directors;

Winfrey has given back in the way of her charitable foundation, Oprah's Angel Network (1997), opening up The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa (2007), and so much more.

Aside from being the world's most influential woman, endorsing our first Black President, and continuing to speak out against sexual abuse, Winfrey is still very much relevant and is still making moves. She has a docuseries in the works coming to Apple TV focusing on mental health and toxic work environments. That's what's up to O living her best life!

Sources:
https://www.biography.com/media-figure/oprah-winfrey

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/chuck-lorres-cbs-sitcom-young-sheldon-urges-viewers-to-draft-oprah-winfrey

https://ew.com/movies/2020/01/30/oprah-winfrey-whoopi-goldberg-the-color-purple-returns-theaters/

http://m.startribune.com/five-ways-oprah-winfrey-changed-the-world/566814402/

https://www.cnn.com/ampstories/entertainment/how-oprah-winfrey-built-her-business-empire