The Secret to Oprah Winfreys Success - 1446 Words

Haneefah Muhammad Manning English-10/Period: 1 16 May 2011 The Secret to One Of America’s Biggest Icons Success Everyone knows Oprah Winfrey, and there might be a lot of controversy about how Oprah became who she is today, and what all it took for her to become a billionaire. Oprah, one of America’s top icons went through many obstacles and struggles to become what she is today. Although, Oprah is very famous, and on the T.V. screen it appears like her life is easy, this essay can give you a look behind the scenes to see what she really had to overcome to get where she is today. Do you think that Oprah just luckily became one of America’s Icons, or that she had to work hard for it? There are probably many questions that can be asked†¦show more content†¦At Nicolet High School, Ms. Winfrey was the only African-American student, and Oprah is quoted saying, â€Å"In 1968 it was real hip to know a black person, so I was very popular.† Oprah was then getting a good education, and was on the road to being successful. Unfortunately, Vernita’s house Oprah was not receiving much guidance and aid, and was not able to talk to her mother about being sexually abused. So, Oprah resorted to acting out and not behaving well. Ms. Winfrey then began to start dating, skipping school, running away, being sexually active, and stealing from her mother. Vernita did not know how to cope and deal with this bad behavior, so she sent her back to Nashville to live with her father, and step-mother. At age 14, Oprah found out that she was pregnant, and would wear big clothes so that her parents would not find out about her pregnancy (Oprah Winfrey). She was able to hide the fact that she was pregnant until the seventh month. On the day that she told her father that she was pregnant, she went into labor, and delivered the baby (The Oprah Winfrey Biography). Oprah Winfrey gave girth to a baby boy, who was born early, and died two weeks after his birth. At age 16, Oprah started reading the autob iography of Maya Angelou, called I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Oprah said, and I quote, â€Å"I read it over and over, I had never read a book that validated my own existence.† Maya Angelou’s autobiography really related to OprahShow MoreRelatedBrief Biography And Accomplishments Of Oprah Winfrey1077 Words   |  5 PagesBrief Biography and Accomplishments Oprah Winfrey is an icon and role model to men and women all over the world. Many would find it difficult to pinpoint her greatest accomplishment as Oprah has affected the lives of so many in catastrophic ways. 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(The power image) It is appears that those leaders who are ‘socialized and authentic’ achieve much more success as they are able to get followers onside and work toward a common vision. Method To gather the necessary information required for this report, we were to research online on the RSNZ website, (http:// rsnz.leadership.org) to find theRead MoreLeadership Power10268 Words   |  42 Pagespositive way. Unlike those leaders who abuse their authortative position, and rely on coercive power to â€Å"gain respect through instilling fear†. (The power image) It is appears that those leaders who are ‘socialized and authentic’ achieve much more success as they are able to get followers onside and work toward a common vision. Method To gather the necessary information required for this report, we were to research online on the RSNZ website, (http:// rsnz.leadership.org) to find the seven