by:Marcella Dushaj Mrs.Lindensmith’s 4th grade class Oprah Winfrey by:Marcella Dushaj Mrs.Lindensmith’s 4th grade class

Childhood Oprah Gail Winfrey was born on January 29,1954 to Vernita Lee and Vernon Winfrey in Kosciusko ,Mississippi. Her grandmother Hattie Mae taught her to read and write by age 3.Oprah loved reading. Hattie Mae was a big influence on Oprah and because of her Oprah was able to skip kindegarden,1st and 2nd grade. When Oprah was 6 she was sent to live with her mother in Milwaukee,Wisconsion Vernita Lee. When she arrived Oprah was surprised to see that she had a half brother and half sister!

Middle Years At age 14 Oprah was sent to live with her father in Nashville,Tennesee. He made education a priority. Since Oprah was very smart she got a job at age 17 at a radio station WVOL to read the news. After she went to collage for 4 years. Oprah was the first and youngest African American woman to read the news in Nashville.

Later Years When Oprah was 30 she moved to Chicago to host A.M. Chicago. A year later in 1985 A.M. Chicago was changed to the Oprah Winfrey Show. Oprah has opened a production company called Harpo. Oprah has started a book club in 1996. In 1997 Oprah started “Oprah’s Angel Network. In 1999 Oprah starts the “O Magazine”.

Interesting facts Oprah was origanally named Orpah from the biblical story of Ruth. In 2003 the forbes magazine named Oprah the first black billionair. In 2013 President Obama honored Oprah with the presidential medal of freedom.