Oprah Winfrey
“Oprah Winfrey’s life is a modern-day Horatio Alger Story of a poor, illegitimate black girl, who went from rages to incredible riches, while challenging all the rules.” (Jackie Rogers wrote in Redbook) Oprah Winfrey was the daughter of Vernita Lee and Vernon Winfrey, her parents where never married. She was born on January 29, 1954 on a small farm in Kosciusko, Mississippi. When she was a young girl she lived with her maternal godmother. Her godmother taught her how to read at age two. When Oprah was enrolled in kindergarten, she wrote a note to her teacher explaining why she belonged in the first grade. Her teacher was so amazed she had her moved up to the first grade immediately. After completing the first grade Oprah moved up again to the third grade. When she was six years old she went to live with her mother in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While living with her mother she was beginning to be recognized for her speaking ability. She was often asked to recite poetry at social clubs and church teas. Three years after moving in with her mother things turned bad. When she was nine years old she was raped by a teenage cousin, starting a cycle of several years of abuse. In response to her abuse and in an attempt to get her mothers attention she became a very rebellious and somewhat delinquent child. Her mother tried to put her in a detention center, to help straighten her out, but the institution didn’t have enough beds. So instead she was shipped off to live with her father and his wife in Nashville, Tennessee. Her father was a strict disciplinary man. He really changed the course of her life. Oprah returned to doing well in school and participated in a number of extra curricular activities. She was in her high school council, drama club, and debate team. As a teenager she was crowned Miss Fire Prevention by WVOL, a Nashville radio station. After hearing her acceptance speech the radio station hired her to read newscasts after school. Her speaking abilities also helped her win an Elk Club speech contest, earning a full scholarship to Tennessee State University. While a college freshman Winfrey became Miss Black Nashville and Miss Black Tennessee. In 1971 she competed in the Miss Black American pageant. Oprah was a very smart and well spoken black woman. During college she was offered many jobs, most of which she did not take. She finally accepted a job offer when her speech teacher told her that most kids go to college to get jobs like those. She accepted a post as WTVF’s evening news co-anchor, earning her a $15,000 annual salary. In 1976 she left college for a job in Baltimore, Maryland. The ABC affiliate, WJZ-TV gave her a position as a reporter and co-anchor of the six o’clock news. Not long after her arrival the assistant news director sent her to New York to change her image. At one of the salons a misapplied hair treatment left her temporarily and completely bald. She lost confidence; she had to wear a scarf over head while on camera. Oprah’s hair grew back with her confidence and she took a job as co-hosting a morning talk show, People are Talking. After seven years of this she was hired to host A.M. Chicago, which later got changed to The Oprah Winfrey Show. In 1989, after doing two movies and winning several awards, Oprah created her own production company Harpo. She was wildly successful with all her productions and shows. She started Oprah Winfrey’s Book club and got a bunch of people reading again. Oprah Winfrey is a smart, intelligent, hardworking and loving woman. Although her life wasn’t always great she never gave up and turned out on top.
“Oprah Winfrey’s life is a modern-day Horatio Alger Story of a poor, illegitimate black girl, who went from rages to incredible riches, while challenging all the rules.” (Jackie Rogers wrote in Redbook) Oprah Winfrey was the daughter of Vernita Lee and Vernon Winfrey, her parents where never married. She was born on January 29, 1954 on a small farm in Kosciusko, Mississippi. When she was a young girl she lived with her maternal godmother. Her godmother taught her how to read at age two. When Oprah was enrolled in kindergarten, she wrote a note to her teacher explaining why she belonged in the first grade. Her teacher was so amazed she had her moved up to the first grade immediately. After completing the first grade Oprah moved up again to the third grade. When she was six years old she went to live with her mother in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While living with her mother she was beginning to be recognized for her speaking ability. She was often asked to recite poetry at social clubs and church teas. Three years after moving in with her mother things turned bad. When she was nine years old she was raped by a teenage cousin, starting a cycle of several years of abuse. In response to her abuse and in an attempt to get her mothers attention she became a very rebellious and somewhat delinquent child. Her mother tried to put her in a detention center, to help straighten her out, but the institution didn’t have enough beds. So instead she was shipped off to live with her father and his wife in Nashville, Tennessee. Her father was a strict disciplinary man. He really changed the course of her life. Oprah returned to doing well in school and participated in a number of extra curricular activities. She was in her high school council, drama club, and debate team. As a teenager she was crowned Miss Fire Prevention by WVOL, a Nashville radio station. After hearing her acceptance speech the radio station hired her to read newscasts after school. Her speaking abilities also helped her win an Elk Club speech contest, earning a full scholarship to Tennessee State University. While a college freshman Winfrey became Miss Black Nashville and Miss Black Tennessee. In 1971 she competed in the Miss Black American pageant. Oprah was a very smart and well spoken black woman. During college she was offered many jobs, most of which she did not take. She finally accepted a job offer when her speech teacher told her that most kids go to college to get jobs like those. She accepted a post as WTVF’s evening news co-anchor, earning her a $15,000 annual salary. In 1976 she left college for a job in Baltimore, Maryland. The ABC affiliate, WJZ-TV gave her a position as a reporter and co-anchor of the six o’clock news. Not long after her arrival the assistant news director sent her to New York to change her image. At one of the salons a misapplied hair treatment left her temporarily and completely bald. She lost confidence; she had to wear a scarf over head while on camera. Oprah’s hair grew back with her confidence and she took a job as co-hosting a morning talk show, People are Talking. After seven years of this she was hired to host A.M. Chicago, which later got changed to The Oprah Winfrey Show. In 1989, after doing two movies and winning several awards, Oprah created her own production company Harpo. She was wildly successful with all her productions and shows. She started Oprah Winfrey’s Book club and got a bunch of people reading again. Oprah Winfrey is a smart, intelligent, hardworking and loving woman. Although her life wasn’t always great she never gave up and turned out on top.
All information found at:
Shelton, Sonya. "Winfrey, Oprah (1954-)." Student Resource Center Gold. Gale, 1997. Web. 24 Feb. 2010.
Picture found at: http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2006/celebdatabase/oprahwinfrey/oprah_winfrey3_180_240.jpg
Shelton, Sonya. "Winfrey, Oprah (1954-)." Student Resource Center Gold. Gale, 1997. Web. 24 Feb. 2010.
Picture found at: http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2006/celebdatabase/oprahwinfrey/oprah_winfrey3_180_240.jpg
I did not know she went bald...I enjoyed reading your blog and am glad I get to have you in my LA class. Poor Mr. Walker!
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