Oprah Winfrey

OPRAH WINFREY

By Rita Garrett

Oprah Winfrey is the most influential women in America. She was born January 29, 1954 to Vernita Lee, an unwed teenage girl, and Vermon Winfrey, a soldier stationed at a nearby base. The two never married. From birth until age six, Oprah lived on the family farm in Kosciusko, Mississippi with her grandmother, Hattie May, so her mother could work as a maid in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

 Hattie May taught Oprah to read and write at a very young age. By three years old, she was going to different churches in the community to recite bible verses and poems; by age four, she was known as “the little speaker.” Early on Oprah knew exactly what she wanted to do when she got older; she said “I want to be paid to talk.”

At six years old, Oprah moved to Milwaukee to live with her mother. Between the age of 9 and 13, she was molested by male family members and friends. After trying to run away at age 14, she left home and tried to make it own her own, she later went to live with her father, Vermon, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Vermon gave his daughter a secure home and structured environment to flourish in. Along with a midnight curfew, he required her to read a book and write a book report each week. She said, “As strict as he was, 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.” And that is exactly what he got.

Oprah won the Miss Black Tennessee pageant and landed her first radio job at 17. She entered a public speaking contest and won a full scholarship to Tennessee State University. With her broadcasting career taking off she left school and took a job as a reporter and anchor. That was just the beginning of a very successful career for her.

Since then, Oprah’s impressive resume’ has grown to include co-host of the talk show People Are Talking, host of AM Chicago which was later renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show, and multiple producer and acting opportunities. She is also the owner of Harpo Productions, Inc., a magazine publishing and film/ television production company.

From a child with meager means, to a billionaire, Oprah has shown the world, as she puts it, “It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you. Always.” Today she mentors millions of people worldwide to help them realize just that.