Oprah Winfrey's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of Oprah Winfrey. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

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.

1989: Inducted into NAACP Image Award Hall of Fame

In 1989, Oprah Winfrey was accepted into the NAACP Image Award Hall of Fame.

1994: Induction into National Women's Hall of Fame

In 1994, Oprah Winfrey was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame and she also finished the Marine Corps Marathon in under four and a half hours.

1998: America's Favorite TV Personality

According to the Harris poll, in 1998, Oprah Winfrey was America's favorite television personality.

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.

2000: America's Favorite TV Personality

According to the Harris poll, in 2000, Oprah Winfrey was America's favorite television personality.

2000: Richest African American of the 20th Century

By 2000, Oprah Winfrey was believed to have been the richest African American of the 20th century, with a net worth of $800 million.

2000: Awarded the Spingarn Medal

In 2000, Oprah Winfrey was awarded the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP for her contributions.

2002: America's Favorite TV Personality

According to the Harris poll, in 2002, Oprah Winfrey was America's favorite television personality.

2002: Winfrey Receives Bob Hope Humanitarian Award

In 2002, Oprah Winfrey was the recipient of the first Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the Emmy Awards for her contributions to television and film.

2003: First Black Woman Billionaire

In 2003, Oprah Winfrey became the first black woman billionaire in the world.

2004: Only Black Billionaire

From 2004 to 2006, Forbes listed Oprah Winfrey as the world's only black billionaire.

2004: One of TIME's Most Influential People

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

2004: Winfrey Ranked Among Most Generous Americans

In 2004, Oprah Winfrey became the first black person to rank among the 50 most generous Americans.

2005: World's Most Powerful Celebrity

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

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: Only Black Billionaire

From 2004 to 2006, Forbes listed Oprah Winfrey as the world's only black billionaire.

2006: Highest-Paid Television Entertainer

In 2006, Oprah Winfrey was the highest-paid television entertainer in the United States, earning an estimated $260 million.

2007: Most Influential Woman

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

2008: Yearly Income Increased

By 2008, Oprah Winfrey's yearly income had increased to $275 million.

2008: World's Most Powerful Celebrity

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

2008: PETA's Person of the Year

In 2008, Oprah Winfrey was named Person of the Year by PETA for her work in using her platform to help animals and uncover cases of animal cruelty.

2008: Most Powerful Woman in Entertainment

In 2008, as chairman of Harpo Inc., Oprah Winfrey was named the most powerful woman in entertainment by The Hollywood Reporter.

2009: America's Favorite TV Personality

According to the Harris poll, in 2009, Oprah Winfrey was America's favorite television personality.

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.

2010: Winfrey Remains Among Top 50 Most Generous Americans

In 2010, Oprah Winfrey remained among the top 50 most generous Americans, a position she held since 2004.

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.

2013: Winfrey Donates to Smithsonian and Receives Medal of Freedom

In 2013, Oprah Winfrey donated $12 million to the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

2013: Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom

In 2013, Oprah Winfrey was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

2014: Richest Self-Made Woman

As of 2014, Oprah Winfrey had a net worth in excess of 2.9 billion dollars, overtaking Meg Whitman as the richest self-made woman in America.

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.

2016: SuperSoul 100 list

In 2016, Oprah Winfrey selected 100 people for the SuperSoul 100 list of "innovators and visionaries who are aligned on a mission to move humanity forward" on Harpo Productions' SuperSoul TV.

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