Born Oprah Gail Winfrey in 1954 on a farm in Mississippi, Oprah experienced hardships early in her life. At the age of 6, she was sexually abused and neglected when living with her mother in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Unlike so many other child abuse stories that end terribly, Oprah was able to leave the neglect behind and stay with her father, where she learned that life held so much more than the abuse she experienced. While Oprah excelled as a news anchor, her empathy towards the people in the news stories began to affect her emotionally to the point where she could not continue.
It was at this point that she became a co-host for a talk show called "People Are Talking."
She became the first Black business woman to own a television network called "OWN:
Oprah Winfrey Network." She also became a chairwoman of Harpo Productions Inc, which took over ownership of the Oprah Winfrey Show. Oprah Winfrey has excelled in the entertainment industry by being true to herself and to an audience that loves and admires her. With a mind for business and a humanitarian heart, Oprah Winfrey will continue to make a large impact within the entertainment and media industry.
Unlike other actors and stars who hit their big breaks but fizzle out due to their own mismanagement or the emotional strain of success taking a toll on their lives, Oprah Winfrey has excelled in the entertainment industry by being true to herself and to an audience that loves and admires her. With a mind for business and a humanitarian heart, She became the first woman and the first African American to own and produce her own talk show and entertainment production company.
