Oprah Winfrey, a public figure known among Americans and others around the world, rose to success from a poor young girl to one of the wealthiest top-rated daytime talk show hosts of her time. Her entrepreneurial success has been contributed to her ability to overcome barriers as a minority. As an African-American woman, she faced discrimination and entrepreneurial obstacles that should have discouraged her from pursuing her dream. Through her passion, perseverance, and hard work, Oprah successfully started her own production company, Harpo Productions, Inc., which now has grown into an empire. As a minority entrepreneur, inspires others to pursue their dreams no matter how unfeasible it may seem. Oprah Winfrey’s Rise to Success Oprah was born on January 29, 1954 to Vernita Lee, an unwed teenager at the time (NNDB, n.d.). She first lived with her grandmother in Kosciusko, Mississippi while her mother was searching elsewhere for jobs. Despite having grown up in poverty as a minority, Oprah was proficient in her academic studies. At the age of six, she moved to Milwaukee to live with her mother who found a job as a housemaid. As a teen, Oprah was repeatedly sexually abused. (Academy of Achievement, 2013). This abuse had an emotional effect on her. It later compelled her to support the “The Oprah Bill”, which established a national database of convicted child abusers (NNDB, n.d.). At age 14, Oprah moved to Nashville, Tennessee to live with her father, Vernon Winfrey. With his strict disciplinary rules, Oprah prospered becoming an honor student and winning awards in oratory and dramatic performances (Academy of Achievement, 2013). At age 19, she was offered a job at WVOL, a radio station aimed primarily towards African American liste... ... middle of paper ... ...d hard times as an African American woman venturing positions no other African American woman has achieved. She achieved much of her fame from her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, but her success did not stop there. As the founder, chairman, and CEO of Harpo Entertainment Group, Oprah Winfrey became one of the most powerful women in the entertainment production industry. Not only is she a powerful entrepreneur, but also a charismatic interviewer who has captured the hearts of many Americans. She had the courage to follow her intuitions and the perseverance to see the project through. Oprah has impacted others on her genuine care to give back to various charities. Oprah continues to take on more projects to expand her growing company. Oprah Winfrey is a powerful figure in society who will continue to be an inspiration to people of all backgrounds around the world.
Perhaps the most notable triumph of Oprah Winfrey is her job as host of her own television show, "The Oprah Winfrey Show". Because anyone is free to decide what they choose as a career, she had the opportunity to create this show. The viewings and acceptance of the consumers to her show allowed it's prosperity. Keep in mind that Oprah had no control of the success her show would receive, although she had free decision to do what she pleased with it, it was the decision of the consumers
This essay I have decided to write about Oprah Winfrey. This is because Oprah had many serious life events. These life events must have implemented her key development stages or the other.
Winfrey was born in rural Mississippi where her grandmother was so poor that she would sometimes dress Oprah in clothes made from potato sack and for that, she would get teased by her classmates. Grandma Lee was also rather strict as she would beat Oprah with a stick if she misbehaved or didn't sing the church hymns and choirs correctly. But despite being poverty stricken and strict, her grandmother was very encouraging and taught Oprah how to read the bible before the age of three.
She did not even let people get in the way of her dreams. She had trauma along her journey but she looked passed that. She got rejected multiple times simply because she was defined as an African American but, again, that did not stop her from following her passion. Winfrey even donates money to help those in need, and so with this, she chased her dream until she got what she wanted. Oprah Winfrey is an inspiration to not just me, but to any girl who has been rejected and has gone through a non consensual sexual act - nothing stands her way as a woman. I would definitely say she is the most successful African American woman out
Winfrey’s early life was filled with arduous hurdles from the beginning, she was raised in a small podunk town in Mississippi that was anything but safe for a young girl, but on top of that she was raised by a single mother who was not around nearly enough. However the most formidable part of her upbringing was, she was sexually abused by ‘family friends’ and relatives on multiple occasions starting from the age of just nine. At twelve she was sent away to middle Tennessee to live with her father, there she realised her passion, she began giving speeches in front of her church and ultimately came to the conclusion that she wanted to speak for a living. Without her parents divorce Winfrey might have never figured out her passion of speaking to people until it was too late, this was a hidden advantage in the making of her success. However all too soon she had to leave the comfort of her father’s home where she could pursue her interest and journey back to her mother, where she was sadly yet again
Oprah Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954. Her home has been at Santa Barbra, California. She lives there with her partner, Stedman Graham. Oprah is a renowned talk show host, actress, American media proprietor, producer and philanthropist. The Oprah Winfrey show, multi-award winning talk show is what this great philanthropist is best known for. This show was the highest ranked show of its kind, being syndicated nationally in the period 1986-2011 (Winfrey 3). She is currently the CEO and owner of Oprah Winfrey Network. During her early life as an actress she was in the movie “The Color Purple” and the “Beloved”. In 2013, she starred in the movie, “The Butler” as Gloria Gaines. She has done documentaries and movies for HBO. She was also the voice for Gussie the Goose in “Charlotte’s Web” and also the voice Judge Bumbleden in the “Bee Movie”. This is just a few of the movies she was in.
Oprah Winfrey lived a very rough early life until Vernon Winfrey took her into good hands. She lived in Kosciusko, Missippi for the first 6 years of her life, and then she moved to Milwaukee to live with her mother who was a housemaid. When Oprah lived with her mother she was sexually molested during the daytime when her mother would work the long days. This abuse went on everyday possible for 4 years until she was out on her own at age 14. Oprah had given birth to a baby, which had unexpectedly died during infancy. After the baby had died she moved in with her Father who lived in Tennessee. “Vernon Winfrey was a strict parent, but he gave his daughter the secure home that Oprah needed. He saw to it that she met a curfew, and he required her to read a book and write a book report as well. “As strict s he was,” says Oprah, “ he had some concerns about me making the best of my ...
Oprah Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954. (“Oprah Winfrey Biography”). Oprah had a rough childhood (“Oprah Winfrey Biography”). She constantly moved from her mother’s house to her father’s house (“Oprah Winfrey Biography”). When Oprah lived with her mother she was raped (Lies, 2011). When Oprah lived with her father, she excelled (“Oprah Winfrey Biography”). Oprah’s rough childhood and thriving high school and college years definitely influenced her contributions to the world later showing ethical leadership (“Oprah Winfrey Biography”).
Success is not only about earning money but also earning love and respect of the people around you, may be by becoming a source of happiness and light of the people. That is the reason I chose this lady who has lived her life inspiring others and continue to do so. Here I am talking about ‘OPRAH WINFREY’. A very clear vision is the most essential and primary thing required to begin your journey of success. You may have the best resources in the world, best people around to guide but if you don’t know where to go, you will get stuck in this web of life.
An amazing woman dedicated to her work, and the first female African-American to own and host a television show. Oprah Winfrey had a tough childhood, but when she moved in with her dad at age 12, he helped her turn her life around. When she was a sophomore at TSU (Tennessee State University), she became the first African-American girl to anchor local news. From that time she knew she wanted to be in the television industry, and help people. Later on she began the "Oprah Winfrey show” in 1986, at age 32.
Around this time, Lee had given birth to another daughter ( Winfrey's half sister) she died at age 43 because of a cocaine addiction. After that tragic incident Oprah was sent to live with her dad in Nashville, Tennessee. While Oprah was living in Nashville, her mom gave birth to a 3rd child, also she gave birth to a boy named Jeffrey who later died of AIDS related causes in 1989. At 9 years old Oprah stated that she was molested by her cousin, uncle and a family friend. Oprah didn't want be a mother because she wasn't mothered well. At age 13, after suffering years of abuse, Winfrey ran away from home. When she was 14, she became pregnant but her son was born prematurely and he died shortly after birth. She began going to Lincoln High School, and soon got transferred to the affluent suburban Nicolet High School, where her poverty was rubbed in her face on the bus. Oprah began to steal money from her mom, her frustrated mother once again sent her to live with Vernam in Nashville, Tennessee, Vernam was strict, but encouraging and made her education a priority. She then became an honor student, she was
Oprah Winfrey is an African American woman who is known as a U.S. media celebrity. She has done so much to contribute to society as we know it and her legacy will forever live on. Mrs. Winfrey is well known and she uses her platform for positivity and love, which is a huge reason for her success. She is an intelligent leader who worked hard for the spot she has in life and strives to encourage others to be successful also. Mrs. Winfrey has written books, acted and produced films, hosted an infamous television show, and given to charities. Her hard work and dedication has made her one of the most influential women of all time. She strived for greatness and accomplished what she wanted out of life, despite various obstacles that had been in the
Her father was very strict and cared a lot about school and wanted her to get high marks. At high school she was a brilliant student, she loved being in the drama club and the student council. After she graduated in 1971 she received a four year scholarship to Tennessee State University. She began to develop broadcasting career at seventeen while working for WVOL radio in Nashville. While still at university Oprah at nineteen became the youngest and the first African-American female news anchor at WTVF-TV in Nashville, this shows us today that you can conquer anything you put your mind to, I mean she went through such a hard childhood but yet still conquered this. In 1976 Oprah took the job to be a co-host on an early morning talk show called People are Talking. In 1984 Oprah moved to Chicago and got chosen to host a talk show called AM Chicago. The show became really popular during the time of seven months and was then extended to be a one-hour show. In September 1985 after all the show’s success it was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show. It was on TV for twenty five years. Oprah interviewed and engaged with her audience a lot and talked about her childhood on the show. Her show ended in 2011. After her show ended Oprah published the Oprah Magazine and then set up her own cable television network named Oxygen in 1999. Oprah started collecting funds for charities and children that couldn’t afford to go to school and then established the Family for Better Lives
For most people growing up is filled with memories of joy and happiness. A childhood should be filled with affection and care, but Oprah did not always feel those things. Oprah did not have such a great upbringing, but despite the odds she rose up and became who she had wanted to be. Oprah had dealt with many accounts of sexual abuse, the lack of attention from her mother, and moving from place-to-place for most of her early years (Fry, web). Not only was Oprah faced sexual abuse, but she also became pregnant from one of the instances (Fry, web). This made things even more difficult for the young Oprah.
One of the most powerful women in the world is Oprah Gail Winfrey. Oprah is one of the richest businesswomen in the world, but she wasn’t always rich and successful. She had a very tough life growing up and didn’t have much money. She has always been a hard worker, and she had a passion for hosting and acting. Oprah is very good at what she does and that’s how she raised to the top of being one of the most influential women in the media.