At this point nothing new can be said about Oprah Winfrey. She was the queen of daytime TV for over two decades, with the highest-rated talk show in history. She’s also been in movies, TV shows, has a long-running magazine, is an incredibly generous philanthropist and the list goes on and on.
Born on Jan. 29, 1954 in Kosciusko, Mississippi, she lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Nashville before receiving a full scholarship to Tennessee State University. She didn’t actually complete her degree until 1986 though, because she left to follow her dream of being a broadcaster.
Winfrey started in news reporting but soon found herself too hemmed in by the objective nature of news, so she moved to Chicago to host a talk show. She did so well that it was eventually The Oprah Winfrey Show, which soon became the number-one talk show in the world. What are her biggest accomplishments? Here they are in no particular order.
A Best Supporting Actress nomination for ‘The Color Purple’
She knocked it out of the park in her first movie. Some people work a lifetime as an actor, get rich, are loved by millions and still never get an Oscar nomination. This is how talented Oprah is on any given day. She took a role in a movie, knocked it out of the park, and then just returned to her talk show. I don’t know if that’s restraint, a contract or what but it’s an impressive accolade and an even more impressive way to do it.
Started an incredibly popular book club
When Oprah’s talk show was in its prime, she started the Oprah Book Club. Because she reached millions of people, anything she recommended would immediately become a huge hit. Take The Road, for example. While it was already popular in reading circles, she took it to a new level when she recommended it and made author Cormac McCarthy a household name. It would go on to win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
Started a very successful magazine
Oprah’s magazine, O, was launched in 2000 and published by Hearst Magazines. Within months of its launch it reached a circulation of over two million, beating out every other women’s magazine on the market. By 2008, it had a circulation of 18 million. Today, it publishes quarterly and Oprah Daily is a prime digital destination.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest honor a civilian can be awarded. It’s for people who have made “meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”
Oprah received it in 2013 along with country singer Loretta Lynn and activist Gloria Steinem. Perhaps President Obama put it best: “Oprah’s greatest strength has always been her ability to help us discover the best in ourselves. Michelle and I count ourselves among her many devoted fans and friends. As one of those fans wrote, ‘I didn’t know I had a light in me until Oprah told me it was there.’ What a great gift.”
Started her own TV network
After Oprah left her talk show, everyone was clamoring to know what she was going to do next. Turns out she had things planned all along. As she recalled: “In April 2007, David Zaslav, the head of Discovery, came to me holding an O magazine, talking about the fact that his wife had given it to him and that he wanted to create a channel based on living your best life…. And I felt instinctively like, Oh my God, so this is how it happens. “
She said it “was of divine order” that he came to see her and she said, “Oh my goodness! This is a sign! From that, OWN was born. It continues to produce highly popular scripted series and is now part of Warner Bros. Television.
Opened a school for girls in South Africa
If we’re going purely on philanthropy, then this has to be one of her biggest accomplishments, bar none. She spent $40 million of her own money to open the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in 2007, saying she was inspired by her own rough upbringing when she had no electricity or water, and was a victim of sexual abuse. It’s a 52-acre property and is dedicated to helping girls between grades 7 and 12.
Won the Cecil B. DeMille Award
When Oprah won this Lifetime Achievement award at the Golden Globes, her speech was so rousing that it made people want her to run for president. Imagine giving a speech and people think you could lead the free world! She was also the first Black woman to win the award, and she knew how historic that was: ” “I want all the girls watching to know: A new day is on the horizon. When that new day finally dawns, it will be because of the magnificent women and many of them are in this room tonight.”
Is a best-selling and prolific self-help author
Oprah has always been interested in helping people, whether it’s through money, her TV show or in this case; self-help books. She’s written quite a few titles over the years, including The Wisdom of Sundays: Life-Changing Insights from Super Soul Conversations; What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing; Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier and What I Know For Sure. Amazing.
The first female Black billionaire in North America
She has a net worth of more than $2.4 billion, making her the 1,250ish richest person in the world. When people say Oprah was a trailblazer, they mean it. Also, Oprah earned her money the hard way – by working for it. She didn’t come from rich parents, she didn’t have an inheritance and that’s part of why so many people love her. She can relate to ordinary people because she was one. What an amazing woman.