How Oprah Winfrey Went From Talk Show Host to Icon

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Where drive meets determination, somewhere nearby you’ll find Oprah Winfrey. Whether you grew up tuned into her talk show, on your grannies couch after school, or you first got introduced after her groundbreaking role in the 1985 debut of The Color Purple, Oprah has played some sort of memorable role in our upbringing. This strong woman was who some of our moms, aunts, grandmothers and even some of us aspired to be: A black woman who successfully worked her way from the bottom to the top. 

From Talk Show Host to Icon

From news anchor to talk show host turned sought-out-philanthropist, Oprah is the true definition of “groundbreaking.” With years in the industry, she continues to break barriers, create fresh new spaces to learn and grow, and make dreams come true for others. Her impact on others speaks for itself and continues to flourish as she continues to focus on self-improvement in both her career and personal life. 

With four decades under her belt focused on dedicating herself to so many, it’s time she’s given credit where it’s due. Here, we celebrate seven noteworthy times Oprah Winfrey proved that she deserves all the flowers and so much more. 

1. Offered Daytime Talk Show

From small town host to worldwide host, Oprah made a name for herself through The Oprah Winfrey Show. What started as a low-rated 30-minute talk show in 1984, relaunched in 1986 as a nationally acclaimed talk show that took off with flying colors. While on air for 25 seasons from 1986 to 2011, she received the title for one of the longest running daytime talk shows in history. 

2. The Birth of Harpo Studios

Founded in 1986, Oprah founded and launched her own production company called Harpo Productions. In 2010, the company was rebranded to Harpo Studios. Oprah became the first woman to own and produce her own talk show in 1986 after announcing the birth of Harpo Productions and its sole ownership of The Oprah Winfrey Show on national television.

3. Nominated for Academy Award

After playing an outstanding role portraying Sofia in The Color Purple, Oprah was nominated for an Academy Award in 1985 for Best Supporting Actress. This film and award nomination made way for the many that would soon follow.

4. Launches Oprah's Book Club

Oprah’s love for reading prompted her to launch Oprah’s Book Club in 1996 while hosting her daytime talk show. After a 15-year stretch that included a lot of growth and many fans, Oprah announced the end of an era in 2002. Realizing she couldn’t go without, in 2003 she relaunched Oprah’s Book Club up until the end of her talk show in 2011. One year later, Oprah’s Book Club 2.0 came about in 2012, combining both The Oprah Network (OWN) which launched in 2011 and The Oprah Magazine which launched in 2001. More than 10 years later, the book club has expanded immensely from exclusive author interviews to her new venture in the world of podcasts.

5. Inducted Into NAACP Hall of Fame

In 2005, Oprah was inducted into the NAACP Hall of Fame – an award only presented to a handful of prominent figures with prestigious backgrounds. Oprah fit the bill. As she gave her acceptance speech quoting a line from Maya Angelou’s poem ‘To Our Grandmothers,’ she said, “I come as one. I stand as 10,000 and tonight I stand as 10,000 to the 10th power.”

6. Opens Academy for Girls in Africa

In 2007, Oprah opened the Leadership Academy for Girls – a girls only boarding school located in Johannesburg, South Africa. With educational and leadership opportunities at the forefront, Oprah’s goal was to provide underprivileged girls an experience that would propel them forward. With 72 students in the academy’s first graduating class, every single girl received a full college scholarship.

7. Awarded a Medal of Freedom

President Barack Obama had the pleasure of awarding Oprah with a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013 in honor of her roles over the years as a philanthropist. This special award is not only the highest civilian honor, but it also recognizes those who have made “especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”