Oprah Winfrey

From Rural Mississippi Poverty to First Black Female Billionaire

entertainment business
Oprah Winfrey

Net Worth

$2.5B

Born

January 29, 1954 (age 72)

Country

United States

Occupation

Media Proprietor, Talk Show Host, Producer, Actress

Gender

female

Generation

Boomer

Marital Status

single

Children

1

Single Parent Household

Yes

Education

Bachelor's

University

Tennessee State University

Industries

entertainment, business

Wealth Category

billionaire

Wealth Origin

self-made

First-Gen Wealth

Yes

Overcame

  • • Born into poverty in rural Mississippi to a teenage single mother
  • • Suffered sexual abuse from age 9 by family members and trusted adults
  • • Gave birth at 14 to a son who died shortly after birth
  • • Faced discrimination as a Black woman in broadcasting early in career

Oprah Winfrey is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for The Oprah Winfrey Show, which was the highest-rated television talk show for 25 years. She became the first Black female billionaire in North America and has been called the most influential woman in the world.

Career Timeline

1954

Born in Kosciusko, Mississippi to teenage single mother

1963 Age 9
Setback

Moved to Milwaukee to live with mother; began experiencing abuse

1968 Age 14
Setback

Gave birth to a son who died shortly after

1971 Age 17
Achievement

Won Miss Black Tennessee beauty pageant

1973 Age 19
Milestone

Became first Black female news anchor at WLAC-TV in Nashville

1976 Age 22
Turning Point

Moved to Baltimore to co-anchor the six o'clock news

1978 Age 24
Turning Point

Moved to morning talk show 'People Are Talking'

1984 Age 30
Milestone

Moved to Chicago to host AM Chicago; transformed it to #1 local talk show

1986 Age 32
Milestone

The Oprah Winfrey Show launched nationally

1986 Age 32
Achievement

Founded Harpo Productions, becoming first Black woman to own own studio

2003 Age 49
Milestone

Became first Black female billionaire

1996 Age 42
Achievement

Launched Oprah's Book Club, revolutionizing publishing

2000 Age 46
Achievement

Launched O, The Oprah Magazine

2011 Age 57
Achievement

Launched OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network)

2018 Age 64
Achievement

Became first Black woman to receive Golden Globes Cecil B. DeMille Award

Notable Quotes

"Turn your wounds into wisdom."

— The Oprah Winfrey Show, 1998

"The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams."

— O Magazine, 2002

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough."

— The Oprah Winfrey Show, 2006

"I was once afraid of people saying, 'Who does she think she is?' Now I have the courage to stand and say, 'This is who I am.'"