Oprah Winfrey- Global Citizen
Oprah Winfrey- Model Citizen
Oprah Winfrey, the greatest Black philanthropist by Business Week in 2005 has made her way to her viewers’ hearts and has become a role model citizen for everyone. Her selflessness and charitable character has caused her to continuously raise and donate millions of dollars. Oprah was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi on January 25, 1954 to Vernita Lee and Vernon Winfrey. When she was born, her parents were not married so she lived with her grandmother and completed her secondary education at East High School in Nashville.
After a trip to the White House, a local radio show asked her for an interview regarding it. Her voice and speech delivery impressed the radio show so much they offered her a job at the age of 16. Winfrey also won a public speaking contest. She studied speech and acting at Tennessee State University and was then given the job as a news reporter. At 19, Winfrey was already acknowledged for being the youngest television news anchor and the first African American anchor as well. For 8 years, she was the co-host of a morning radio talk show, “People Are Talking”. In 1984 she hosted the TV station morning show, “A.M Chicago”. Her work as Sofia in “Colour Purple” earned her an Academy Award nomination. In 1986 she started the iconic talk show, “The Oprah Winfrey Show”. Later with her continued success in the 1980s, Oprah bought the show and started Harpo Productions becoming the third woman to own a major production studio. Winfrey also won two beauty contests. She then launched her own magazine in 2000 and then in 2008 her own television network called “OWN”. She has been able to achieve all the success independently and became the first African American female billionaire.
Despite her endless success, Winfrey went through struggles equally as tough. When she was 9 years old, her 19 year old cousin raped her and over the next 5 years she got continuously abused by her uncle and mom’s boyfriend. She has been
Oprah Winfrey, the greatest Black philanthropist by Business Week in 2005 has made her way to her viewers’ hearts and has become a role model citizen for everyone. Her selflessness and charitable character has caused her to continuously raise and donate millions of dollars. Oprah was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi on January 25, 1954 to Vernita Lee and Vernon Winfrey. When she was born, her parents were not married so she lived with her grandmother and completed her secondary education at East High School in Nashville.
After a trip to the White House, a local radio show asked her for an interview regarding it. Her voice and speech delivery impressed the radio show so much they offered her a job at the age of 16. Winfrey also won a public speaking contest. She studied speech and acting at Tennessee State University and was then given the job as a news reporter. At 19, Winfrey was already acknowledged for being the youngest television news anchor and the first African American anchor as well. For 8 years, she was the co-host of a morning radio talk show, “People Are Talking”. In 1984 she hosted the TV station morning show, “A.M Chicago”. Her work as Sofia in “Colour Purple” earned her an Academy Award nomination. In 1986 she started the iconic talk show, “The Oprah Winfrey Show”. Later with her continued success in the 1980s, Oprah bought the show and started Harpo Productions becoming the third woman to own a major production studio. Winfrey also won two beauty contests. She then launched her own magazine in 2000 and then in 2008 her own television network called “OWN”. She has been able to achieve all the success independently and became the first African American female billionaire.
Despite her endless success, Winfrey went through struggles equally as tough. When she was 9 years old, her 19 year old cousin raped her and over the next 5 years she got continuously abused by her uncle and mom’s boyfriend. She has been
Cited: Feder, Robert. “Oprah Winfrey.” World Book Student. 2013. World Book. Web. Wednesday, December 11, 2013. Friedrich, Belinda. Oprah Winfrey. New York: 21st Century Publishing and Communications, 2001. Print. Hudak, Heather C. Oprah Winfrey. New York: Weigl Publishers, 2010. Print. Jones, Jacque. “Charity Begins with Oprah.” Electronic Media. April 19,2004. eLibrary. Web. Thursday, December 12, 2013. “Oprah Winfrey.” Biography Channel. N.p. N.d. Web. Friday, December 13, 2013 “Oprah Winfrey.” Britannica School. 2013. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. Web. Thursday, December 12, 2013. “Oprah Winfrey’s Official Biography.” Oprah. N.p. May 17, 2011. Web. Friday, December 13, 2013. Lies, Anne. Oprah Winfrey Media Mogul. Minnesota: ABDO, 2011. Print.