Oprah Winfrey was born on January 29th, 1954, in Kosciusko, Mississippi, USA. Her parents were Vernon Winfrey and Vernita Lee.  She majored in communications and became the first African-American news anchor reporter. She became famous as the host of the Oprah Winfrey Show, which began in 1985.

Fact 1. Oprah Winfrey’s name was spelled incorrectly on her birth certificate. Her name was supposed to have been ‘œOrpah’ based on the name of Ruth’s sister-in-law in the Bible (see Ruth, chapter 1).

Fact 2.   In 1988, Oprah became the first woman in history to own and produce her own talk show through her production company, Harpo Productions.

Fact 3.    In 1993, the Oprah Bill came into effect when President Bill Clinton signed it. This involved the establishment of a national database for convicted child abusers.

Fact 4.   Oprah Winfrey was named one of the “100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century” by Time magazine, and in 1998 received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Fact 5.  Forbes’ (2010) list of American billionaires included Oprah Winfrey as the first African-American woman to become a billionaire with a net worth of $2.4billion.

Fact 6.  Winfrey established the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Fact 7. In 2008, Winfrey publicly endorsed Barrack Obama for the Democratic nomination and the Presidency itself.

Fact 8.  Winfrey’s the Oprah Winfrey Show ended on May 25, 2011, after 24 seasons and over 5,000 broadcasts.

Fact 9. Winfrey is reported to earn half a million dollars a day from her TV shows. She also owns or co-owns the Oxygen Network, O Magazine, Harpo Studios, Harpo Productions, Harpo Films, Harpo Print, Harpo Video, and the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Fact 10. As one of the most powerful African-Americans of the 20th century, she received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts in 2011 for her philanthropic efforts.