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Birth Date
Born on a farm in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Originally named "Orpah", the midwife mispelled her name on the birth certificate.
Her parents broke up soon after ("Oprah Winfrey"). -
Childhood
Oprah lived with her mother, Vernita Lee and half sister, Patricia, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Garson xiii). -
Sexual Abuse
Oprah was raped by her cousin while she was living in Milwaukee. She experienced sexual assault more than one time (Garison xiii). -
High School
"Oprah received a scholarship to attend Nicolet High School in Milwaukee...She attended East Nashville High School, from which she graduated in 1971" (Garison xiii). -
College and Career
"Oprah... won a scholarship to Tennesee State University. She was hired to read the weekend news at radio station WVOL..." (Garison xiv). -
Talkshow host
"Oprah accepted a job in Chicago as host of AM Chicago" (Garison xiv). -
Becoming a Movie Star
"...producer and composer Quincy Jones dicided that Winfrey would be perfect for a part in the Steven Spielberg-directed The Color Purple... She earned nominations for Gloden Globe and Oscar awards for her work" ("Oprah Winfrey"). -
Record-Breaking Talkshow Host
Oprah's AM Chicago show got a name change to The Oprah WInfrey Show and was bought by King Brothers Corporation (Garison xiv).
"It went into syndication in 1986 in a record-setting 138 cities and earned an unheard of $150 million in the 1988-1989 season...the same year she formed her own production company, Harpo Incorporated" ("Oprah WInfrey"). -
More Accomplishments
Oprah became Broadcaster of the Year and was the youngest person to ever get this award, she also got full control of her show to produce it, and she became the first black woman to have studio and production company ownership (Garison xiv). -
Caring For Children
"President Clinton signed the National Child Protection Act that Oprah had initiated" (Garison xv). -
Winning
"Oprah received a Lifetime Achievement Daytime Emmy Award" (Garison xv). -
Magazine Maker
"O magazine was launched; the international edition of the magazine was published a few months later" (Garison xvi). -
Money Maker
"Oprah became the first black American billionaire" (Garison xvi). -
Symbol 1: Oar
"...the oar has adopted the significance of power, skill, and knowledge" ("Oar"). Oprah is obviously someone who holds an unbelievable amount of power. All the struggle throughout her life led her to be a smart, hard-working business person. She's the type of person that begins a project and never stops until it's perfect, which also requires skill. -
Symbol 2: Eagle
"The eagle is associated with success, prosperity, and wealth" ("Eagle"). Oprah's diligent work is the reason she is as successful as she is. The many things she organizes make so much money, to say she is wealthy would be an understatement. The eagle is a perfect way to describe her. -
Citations
"Animal Symbols." The Enchanted Land of the Phoenix. Web. 08 Dec. 2011. http://www.phoenixarises.com/spirits/symbols.htm. Garson, Helen S. Oprah Winfrey: a Biography. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2004. Print. Harmon, Justin, et. al. “Oprah Winfrey.” Pop Culture Universe: Icons, Idols, Ideas. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 29 Nov. 2011 "Oar." University of Michigan. Web. 08 Dec. 2011. http://www.umich.edu/~umfandsf/symbolismproject/symbolism.html/O/oar.html. -
Pictures 3
• http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/1/4/6/9/8/6/webimg/64848740_tp.jpg
• http://www.litopia.com/radio/wp-content/uploads/210467069_a206747891_o.jpg
• http://images.broadwayworld.com/columnpic2/emmy_award.jpg
http://www.bateau.com/free/oarimages/08oarsdone.jpg
http://www.dimensionsguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Eagle-can-fly.jpg -
Pictures 2
• http://www.tsuatl.org/tsu2seal.gif
• http://itthing.com/wp-content/uploads/20090916-tows-oprah-hair-chicago-350x263.jpeg
• http://www.tncp.net/Portals/21/2011Q1/2011Q2/colorPurple_lg.jpg
• http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/photos/assets_c/2009/09/oprah1986-thumb-580xauto-15989.jpg
• http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/files/2011/08/PX00045_91.jpg
• http://spotted.heraldtribune.com/images/100047/photos/2011/05/24/gallery/2356668.jpg -
Pictures 1
• http://www.demeterclarc.com/wp-content/uploads/images/2011/02/OPRAH-SEES-THE-LIGHT-682x1024.jpg
• http://jennifer-oprah.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/baby-oprah.gif
• http://i.huffpost.com/gen/41324/thumbs/s-VERNITA-LEE-large.jpg
• http://i.huffpost.com/gen/41324/thumbs/s-VERNITA-LEE-large.jpg
• http://www.google.com/imgres?q=east+nashville+high+school&hl=en&safe=active&biw=1280&bih=648&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=kQwT0mvAlqF-vM:&imgrefurl=http://www.j-archive.com/showgame.php?g
