Oprah Winfrey essays

Oprah Winfrey essays In a patriarchy dominated society, it has been uncommon for a woman to be a leader in the entertainment business. However, through the years, the growth of female entertainer has drastically grown. Women are beginning to donate more and more to the field. A female entertainer who has significantly changed the history of the entertainment industry and has also contributed strongly to growth in new areas is Oprah Winfrey. Oprah is evidence of how personal misfortune can become personal triumph (Harrison 85). Oprahs parents had never been married so she spent most of her influential years living between her mother, father, and grandparents. The constant relocating left her exposed to neglect and sexual abuse, which resulted in a disobedient mind-set. Oprahs father, Vernon Winfrey, was able to alleviate some the commotion by introducing her to church and having her to participate in church programs. As a child she was known as the little speaker. She would address church congregations as though she was an adult. At age 12, she delivered another speech in church and was paid $500. That was when Oprah knew what she wanted to do for a living: she wanted to be paid to talk (Igus). This was the beginning of a future in public speaking. In 1985, Oprah Winfrey became the first African American woman to host a nationally syndicated program (Everette 98). Oprah became so successful that she formed a production company, Harpo Productions, and bought her show. Harpo was inspired by Oprah spelled backwards. Forming this company made Oprah the first woman in history to own and produce her own talk show. Oprah is one of the top-rated talk show in television history, and Winfrey is one of the highest-paid entertainers in America (Everette 98). She has opened doors for not only African Americans, but also women in general. She ...