Lasting Legacy of Oprah Winfrey: A Look at the Influence on History

How the contributions of Oprah Winfrey continue to shape the world today.

Oprah Winfrey is an influential American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. Her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, aired for 25 years and solidified her status as the "Queen of All Media." She was the richest African-American of the 20th century and the world's only black billionaire at one point. Winfrey is known for her philanthropic efforts and is often ranked among the most influential women globally.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1986: Turning Point in Life

In 1986, Oprah Winfrey credited her father for changing the course of her life when he took her in, emphasizing education and high expectations.

November 1988: Ms. Magazine Praised Winfrey's Body Image

In November 1988, Ms. magazine observed that Oprah Winfrey made "fat sexy, elegant" in a society that worships thinness.

1994: Shift in talk show content

Since 1994, Oprah Winfrey abandoned traditional talk-show fare for more edifying content, and her most significant role has become that of a spiritual leader.

1996: Introduced Oprah's Book Club

Late in 1996, Oprah Winfrey introduced the Oprah's Book Club segment to her television show, creating "the Oprah Effect" on book sales.

1998: Most Powerful Person in Entertainment

In 1998, Oprah Winfrey became the first woman and first African American to top Entertainment Weekly's list of the 101 most powerful people in the entertainment industry.

1998: Change Your Life TV

In 1998, Oprah Winfrey began 'Change Your Life TV', further solidifying her role as a spiritual leader to her audience of over 22 million viewers.

1998: Conversation with Gary Zukav

In 1998, Oprah Winfrey began an ongoing conversation with Gary Zukav, an American spiritual teacher, who appeared on her television show 35 times.

The Seat of the Soul: 25th Anniversary Edition with a Study Guide

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2002: "The Church of O" article

In 2002, Christianity Today published an article called "The Church of O," which discussed Oprah Winfrey's emergence as an influential spiritual leader and her role as a "postmodern priestess".

2004: One of TIME's Most Influential People

From 2004 to 2011, TIME listed Oprah Winfrey as one of the most influential people.

2005: World's Most Powerful Celebrity

In 2005, Forbes named Oprah Winfrey the world's most powerful celebrity.

2005: Publication of "Reading with Oprah"

In 2005, Kathleen Rooney described Winfrey as "a serious American intellectual who pioneered the use of electronic media" in her book Reading with Oprah: The Book Club that Changed America.

Reading with Oprah: The Book Club that Changed America

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2005: Greatest Woman in American History

In 2005, Oprah Winfrey was named the greatest woman in American history as part of a public poll for The Greatest American.

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2006: Recalling Anti-War Controversies

In 2006, Oprah Winfrey recalled past controversies, including hate mail she received for a show titled "Is War the Only Answer?", where she was accused of being un-American for even raising the question.

2006: Described as "Top Alpha Female"

In 2006, columnist Maureen Dowd described Oprah Winfrey as the "top alpha female" in the country, noting her credibility surpasses even the president's.

2007: Most Influential Woman

By 2007, Oprah Winfrey was frequently ranked as the most influential woman in the world.

2007: Popularity in the Arab world

In 2007, The Wall Street Journal reported that MBC 4, an Arab satellite channel, centered its entire programming around reruns of Oprah Winfrey's show because it was drawing record numbers of female viewers in Saudi Arabia.

2008: World's Most Powerful Celebrity

In 2008, Forbes named Oprah Winfrey the world's most powerful celebrity.

2008: Arabic Broadcast of The Oprah Winfrey Show

In 2008, The New York Times reported that The Oprah Winfrey Show, with Arabic subtitles, was broadcast twice each weekday on MBC 4, highlighting her growing popularity in the Arab world.

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2008: Endorsement's impact on Obama's campaign

In 2008, economists estimated that Oprah Winfrey's endorsement of Barack Obama was worth over a million votes in the Democratic primary, and her involvement was memorialized on a Topps trading card.

September 2010: One of the World's Most Influential Figures

In September 2010, the British magazine New Statesman voted Oprah Winfrey 38th in the list of "The World's 50 Most Influential Figures 2010".

2010: World's Most Powerful Celebrity

In 2010, Forbes named Oprah Winfrey the world's most powerful celebrity.

2010: One of the 100 People Who Changed the World

In 2010, Life magazine named Oprah Winfrey one of the 100 people who changed the world.

2011: One of TIME's Most Influential People

From 2004 to 2011, TIME listed Oprah Winfrey as one of the most influential people.

2013: World's Most Powerful Celebrity

In 2013, Forbes named Oprah Winfrey the world's most powerful celebrity.

2014: Listed Among World's Most Powerful Women

In 2014, Forbes listed Oprah Winfrey as one of the world's 100 most powerful women, ranking her 14th.

2018: Left 60 Minutes

By the end of 2018, Oprah Winfrey left 60 Minutes. Also in 2018, The National Museum of African American History and Culture opened a special exhibit on Oprah Winfrey's cultural influence through television.

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