Born on 29 January 1954, Oprah Winfrey is a world famous name all over the world. She is termed as one of the most influential personalities in the United States. Her story is an inspiring one to most of us. Born in Kosciusko, Mississippi, Oprah was born to an unwed teenage mother. She spent the first few years of her life at her grandmother’s farm. She enjoyed the loving support of her grandmother and the church community. She faced a number of hardships in the early years. She was raped at the age of nine by her relatives. She tried to run a number of times during that period but nothing worked. She became pregnant at 14 but the child died in infancy.
After the tragic episode, she went to Nashville, Tennessee to live with her father. At the age of 17 years, she won Miss Black Tennessee beauty contest. She got her first job on WVOL. She went ahead to study at the Tennessee State University getting full scholarship.
She also won a full scholarship where she majored in Speech Communications and Performing Arts. Oprah continued working at WVOL in her first years of college. By then her broadcasting career was already taking off. She left school and signed on with a local television station as a reporter and anchor.
In the year 1976, Oprah moved to Baltimore, where she got a chance to host TV chat show, People Are Talking. After the success of the show, she got her own show on the Chicago TV. She also acted in a number of films. In 1986, she launched the much-loved Oprah Winfrey show. She also has vested business interests in Harpo Productions.
Winfrey Family Profile
Winfrey Parents: Vernita Lee and Vernon Winfrey
Oprah’s mother Vernita Lee worked as a house cleaner. She got pregnant at the age of fourteen years. Her first child was Oprah. She again got pregnant and delivered her second child at the age of 17 years. She lived in Kosciusko, Mississippi.
Vernon was Oprah’s biological father, born in 1953. He was a coal miner who had turned into a barber and then council member. At the time when Vernita and Vernon were in a relationship, he served the Armed Forces. He lived in Nashville.
Winfrey Siblings: Patricia Lee and Jeffrey Lee
Patricia and Jeffrey are half-blood siblings of Oprah Winfrey. Both of them had hard lives, just like Oprah.
Patricia Lee
Patricia was born on 26 April 1963 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She was put for adoption as soon as she was born. For the first seven years of her life, she lived in different foster homes. At the age of 7 years, a family finally adopted her. At the age of 17, she gave birth to daughter named Aquarius. At 23, she had a son named Andre. Like her mother, she was also a single unwed mother. In 2007, she finally got to know about her family roots.
Jeffrey Lee
Oprah’s brother Jeffrey Lee was 29 years old, when he died of AIDS in the year 1989.
Oprah Winfrey Partner: Stedman Graham
Stedman is a graduate from Hardin-Simmons University in social work. He also has a master’s degree from Ball State University. Stedman is an accomplished speaker and an author. He is currently CEO at S Graham & Associates. He is also founder of Athletes Against Drugs. The couple has been dating since 1986.
Oprah Winfrey Net Worth:
Winfrey has been ranked on the 190th position on the Forbes 400 list. She has a net worth of $ 3 Billion.