Oprah Winfrey: The Epitome of the American Dream

Oprah Winfrey is one of the best examples of the American Dream. She overcame poverty and abuse to become one of the most influential people in the country.

The media mogul was born on Jan. 29, 1954, in Kosciusko, Miss. She lived on her grandmother's farm until age six, when she moved to Milwaukee to live with her mother. She ran away after suffering molestation there, and she ultimately landed in Nashville with her father. There she found stability, as her father made sure she read books and understood them.

Oprah landed her first broadcasting job at age 17 at a radio station in Nashville. She went on to attend Tennessee State University. She later moved to Baltimore, where she co-anchored the news and hosted her first talk show, "People Are Talking.

In 1984, Oprah moved to her current home base of Chicago. She was so successful as the host of "AM Chicago" that her TV station expanded the show to an hour and renamed it "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Oprah's show went national in 1986, winning three Daytime Emmy Awards in its first year of eligibility.

Oprah has been so successful as a talk show host that it's easy to overlook her accomplishments as an actress. She was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe for her role as Sofia in The Color Purple. She has also appeared in Native Son, The Women of Brewster Place and Beloved.

Oprah has always been willing to help others to escape the problems she suffered from as a child. In 1993, she successfully lobbied Congress to establish a national database of convicted child abusers. She also has personally reached out to help a group of children of Africa, who gratefully refer to her as "Mama Oprah."

Also, Oprah has promoted literacy by establishing her Book Club on her TV show. Anytime Oprah has added a book to the club's list, its sales have gone through the roof. However, the authors need to be on their best behavior. Jonathan Franzen blew off the significance of Oprah's choosing his novel.

"The Corrections," for her list, so Oprah promptly yanked her endorsement. After promoting the memoir "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey, Oprah dragged Frey back to the show to scold him for fabricating parts of his life story.

Oprah's show is also a forum to promote people. Relationship expert Dr. Phil McGraw became a huge star based on his appearances on the show. Now Dr. Phil has his own talk show in which he tries to get his guests to stop making poor life choices. Her buddy Gayle King has become a star simply because she is Oprah's best friend.

Oprah has expanded her sphere of influence through her involvement in Oxygen, a TV network for women, and through O - The Oprah Magazine and its follow-up, O At Home. Winfrey has also started the Oprah and Friends channel on XM Satellite Radio.

Although she is a billionaire media mogul, Oprah still comes off as every woman's best friend. Her speaking style is very down-to-earth. Women relate to her because she has dealt with the same things they have, such as her constant battles with her weight.

Oprah is very humble when she talks about her own heroes like Diana Ross, Mary Tyler Moore, Maya Angelou, Barbara Walters and Tina Turner. Oprah even re-created the opening of the Mary Tyler Moore show with herself as Mary. Fans ate this up, because they know Oprah is really one of them.

Oprah has never been married and has no children. She has been "engaged" to marketing executive Stedman Graham since 1992, but of course nobody is rushing out to buy a gift. She has said they will get married when they are ready.

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