Oprah Gail Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954, in Kosciusko, Mississippi, to a teenage, unmarried mother, Vernita Lee, and her father Vernon Winfrey. She spent her early years in poverty in rural Mississippi, staying initially with her maternal grandmother, then moved to inner‑city Milwaukee around age six. From a young age she faced severe hardship, including abuse by family members and becoming pregnant at 14; the child was born prematurely and died shortly thereafter.

Her educational and early professional journey showed precocious talent. While still in high school, Oprah secured radio work. She later moved to Nashville to live with her father, continuing her education and advancing her broadcast career. By 19 she was co‑anchoring a local evening news show.

Oprah’s breakthrough came when she transitioned to daytime television talk shows. Her style—warm, emotional, authentically personal—resonated with audiences and led to the success of her Chicago local show, which then became The Oprah Winfrey Show in national syndication in 1986. Over the decades, she built a media empire including production, publishing, and philanthropy, earning widespread recognition and numerous awards.