Oprah Winfrey
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The Marvelous Oprah Winfrey
“On January 29, 1954 Oprah Gail Winfrey was born to unwed teenage parents in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Oprahs mother, Vernita Lee, was an eighteen year old housemaid. Her father, Vernon Winfrey, was a twenty-year-old barber and doing duty in the armed forces” (Hugh). For six years in her life Oprah Winfrey stayed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with her grandmother, Hattie Mae Lee on a farm. “Hattie Mae Lee taught Oprah at age three how to read the bible” (Fry). Oprah began speaking at her churchs delivering sermons to her grandmothers friends. “At age six, Oprahs mother decided she could take care of her and Oprah was sent to live with her mother in Milwaukee, Wisconsin” (Fry). Oprah has overcome many barriers in her life such as, education, child abuse and, teen pregnancy. Oprah is still one of the most powerful women in society.
The first barrier Oprah overcame was education. “Oprah started kindergarten knowing how to read and write and was automatically skipped to the first grade” (Hugh). “Oprah valued the power of education, because she was skipped a grade for the second time at Wharton Elementary School and was placed in the third grade” (Hugh). Also, Oprah overcame child abuse. From ages six to thirteen, Oprah stayed with her mother. . That led to her downfall. “It was her cousin who sexually abused Oprah for the first time; she was raped and then taken out for ice cream and told to keep it a secret, which she did. She was again abused by a family friend an uncle a couple of years later, on going abuse that she kept silent” (Fry). Oprah never told anyone about her being molested or the abuse she was suffering, which cause her to rebel in many ways. “Oprah started skipping school, dating, stealing money from her mother and running away. In the book Sexual Abuse has effects on teenagers such as, withdrawal, low self esteem and outburst (page 3). Oprah discovered she was pregnant at age fourteen; she hid the pregnancy until the seventh month of her pregnancy” (Fry). Oprah told her and father and thats the same day she went into labor. Oprahs son died two weeks later. He was a still born (Fry). In my perception that inspired Oprah to turn her life around. I sugget this, because something bad has to happen in someone lives such as, death in family, getting shot or killed to make him/her change for the best.
Oprah Winfrey overcame child abuse and rebellious behavior by going to stay with her father in Nashville. Oprahs father was very strict. “Oprah had to meet a midnight curfew and he required her to read a book every week and write a book report” (Hugh). Oprahs father helped her maintain high grades in school and encouraged her to do her best. Influences on Oprahs education were attending Nicolet High school, an all white school on Glendale Wisconsin. Oprah was the only African- American student. Oprah got settled with her father strict rules, she was rewarded