Oprah Gail Winfrey

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  • Oprah Gail Winfrey is born in Kosciusko, Misissippi

  • For the next six years of Oprah's life, she lived on a farm with her grandmother Hattie Mae

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    Oprah Gail Winfrey's Life

  • In 1960 she moved to Milwaukee to live with her mother, stepsister and stepbrother in an inner city ghetto in Mississippi. For eight years, Oprah suffered from abuse and was raped by her cousin, uncle, and a family friend

  • Oprah runs away from home to avoid going to a juvenile detention center

  • Oprah gives birth to a premature boy who died soon after birth

  • Oprah moved to Nashville, Tennessee with her father and her stepmother Zelma.

    Vernon by this time had become a successful businessman and city-council member. Vernon Winfrey was very strict and Oprah became an honors student and graduated from East Nashville High School.

  • Oprah wins a four year scholariship to Tennessee State University

  • Crowned Miss Black Tennessee and Miss Fire Prevention. She also took part in the Miss Black America Pageant

  • Graduates from Tennessee State University witha degree in speech and performing arts

  • Became the first black TV news anchor reporter with WTVF-TV

  • Moved to Baltimore to host the 6 o’clock news with WJZ-TV where she met her best friend Gayle King who was a production assistant at WJZ-TV

  • Oprah was moved from news anchor to the WJZ-TV morning talk show host of People are Talking

  • First episode of A.M. Chicago. Show was extremely successful in the rating

  • Oprah starred in the Steven Spielberg movie 'The Color Purple' as the character Sofia. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 'The Color Purple' but lost to Anjelica Huston

  • Oprah's show expands to one hour and broadcast nationally. It was nominated for several Emmy awards. She formed her own television production company called Harpo Productions. Also receiving the National Organization for Women's Women of Achievement Award

  • First black to go to Forsyth County, Georgia

    Her much acclaimed episode from her show was aired from Forsyth County, Georgia, where no blacks had been allowed to live since 1912.

  • Oprah won her first Emmy for best talk/service show host and best show.

  • Received the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's Entertainer of the year award and went on to receive their Image Award 4 times from 1989 to 1992

  • Initiated the National Child Protection Act and testified before Congress

  • Won Best Talk Show Host at the Daytime Emmy Awards

  • Oprah gets engaged to Stedman Graham

  • President Bill Clinton signed the National Child Protection Act which had been strongly supported by Oprah.

  • Hosted an interview with Michael Jackson which reached an audience of one hundred million.

  • Won Best Talk Show and Best Talk Show Host at the 21st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards

  • Became the first woman and the only black on Forbes list of 400 richest Americans. She has remained the only black person to rank among America's 400 richest people nearly every year since

  • Received the prestigious George Foster Peabody’s Individual Achievement Award

  • Formed Oxygen Media

  • In 2002 Fortune called O, the Oprah Magazine the most successful start-up ever in the industry.

  • Named by Time as one of the 100 people who most influenced the 20th century

  • Named by Time as one of the 100 most influential people of the year

  • Became the first black listed by Business Week as one of America's top 50 most generous philanthropist

  • Named as the greatest woman in American history as part of a public poll as part of The Greatest American in which she ranked in 9th place in the list of greatest Americans.

  • Opah tells her audience she is going to end her show in 2011 after almost a quarter of a century of hosting a talk show

  • Final episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show