Oprah Winfrey has been ranked the richest and most philanthropic black person of the 20th century, and she’s considered by some to be the most influential woman in the world. According to the June issue of Black Enterprise, which hits stands June 3, she is also the world’s most influential black entrepreneur.
On Friday, Oprah’s Harpo Inc. was named the 2008 BE100s Company of the Year. According to a press release, “She is a legend, an icon—but mostly, a mentor. Her unprecedented success in American business serves as the undisputed blueprint for many minority entrepreneurs. Her leadership has broken down barriers; her business instinct the stuff of legend; and her innovation unprecedented. She has spent her entire career beating the odds—and has inspired millions of business-minded minorities in the process.”
In Black Enterprise’s June cover feature, “Oprah Means Business,” Oprah talks about the winning formula that has taken Harpo from a five-person production company to a 430-employee multimedia conglomerate that grossed $345 million last year. She also explains that, “Treating people with respect is the most important thing to me. It’s not just talk. I don’t yell at people, I don’t mistreat people, I don’t talk down to people. So no one else in this building, in this vicinity, has the right to do it.”
Her show’s distribution contract ends in 2011, but Oprah is looking forward to her OWN network and promises that it will be more expansive than anything she’s ever developed: “My intention is for it to live beyond me, for it to be a living network of possibilities for people in their own lives,” she explains. “To be able to say that my life was used in service, to help people come to their highest potential—I would do it even if my name wasn’t attached to it.”
oprah goes. i respect her sooo much. hi j
Alright Oprah, that’s what i’m talkin bouttt. We need more african americans like her in our community. She has to be one of the top black influences of all time if ya ask me.
She goes hard! i watch her more than any dude and not shy to admit! big ups!
Go’won Oprah! I’m proud of ya.
Oprah is a true legend…..and I admire her, her strength, her pride and her inspiration that she uses for herself and shares with others to keep them reaching their goals….another reason to be proud to be a strong black woman….
Go Oprah, I’m so proud of her. She is absolutely phenominal!!!
Oprah is Queen. Work sista!!!
you go gurl…..
Oprah is the personification of The American Dream. She came from NOTHING to have EVERYTHING and did it through hard work. And not only does she enjoy the fruit of her success she shares with people all over the world. I don’t see how anyone can find fault with this woman. Everyone wanna look around for Saints and Popes and all of that nonsense.
Oprah is Gods Word and Vision in the flesh.
I know that might sound a bit extreme.
But I truly believe she is an ANGEL.
She has to be.
oprah looks goods, and i do respect her.
I respect Oprah however, I don’t care for her.
i would love it if Oprah adopted me……. >> adopt me O
Oprah is a very inspiring women,she worked her way from the ”Bottom” To the ”Top”… She is very Humble lady and has not let success overide her mind..She has alot of strength,hope,faith and love and respect.She helps numerous amount of people out and am proud to say oner lady who has made it with the True Lords Name and Grace… I known she will keep striving for more and helping more out,until the lovely interior can still push more,more and more.
… May everyone has the fortuneous she has…
She looks beautiful for her age…. GB xx
We see you Lady O!
I luv Oprah, very influential and hardworking. That’s the way to go ma….
Very inspirational stuff. Now Oprah, when are you going to adopt me?
Great article but Oprah is not the richest black person of the 20th century. I hope she inspires more people to go out there, challenge themselves, reach their true potential, and build their own legacies.
@ #10 ABBY, you really need to show more respect to the moderators of this site.
#17>>>this person is on a lot of blogs and does the same thing. It’s very annoying and I’m always waiting for the moderators to put a stop to it, but this person(s) keeps changing names.
She is an inspiration to all women; black, white, asian, mexican, purple.. I applaud her!!!
I looooove Oprah with all my heart..I think she is a living legend. Has intergrity and she is who she is..no apologies..Love her!
GO OPRAH!!!!!!!!
I heart this woman, she leaves me in awe cos she works so hard and has so much but yet she remains humble and is so giving; and there’s not a lot of people in the industry like that.
I LOVE Mama O! She is a priceless woman, an inspiring presence, and an amazing spirit that grows without bounds.
—–aaaaaand she looks FABULOUS in that cover photo! LOL.
YES OPRAH!
Oprah is my role model
Fuck all that her hips look so good.
She is such a positive light in this world. I admire Ms. Winfrey.
Oprah is truly doing her thing. Gotta respect her!
NOW HERES A MODERN DAY ICON FOR ALL OF US!! I TRULY SALUTE THE ACHIEVEMENTS, INTELLIGENCE, POWER AND RESOLVE OF THIS INCREDIBLE BLACK WOMAN. GO HEAD QUEEN O!!
SHE IS LIVING PROOF OF THE SAYING “NEVER SAY NEVER”. I REALLY WISH YOUNG WOMEN OF THIS GENERATION WHO HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHED AND MISGUIDED BY THEIR SURROUNDINGS AND THE MEDIA TAKE A LEAF OUT OF MISS WINFREY’S BOOK. THIS A WOMAN BORN INTO POVERTY, FACED MANY HARDSHIPS GROWING UP, BUT NEVER MADE EXCUSES FOR HERSELF, AND THAT IS WHY SHE IS THE BILLIONAIRE SHE IS TODAY!!!
OH OPRAH I LOVE HER I GIVE HER MUCH PROPS!! SHE’S THE ONLY WOMAN I KNOW THE ONLY WOMAN WHO IS AND WAS SMART ENOUGH TO TURN HER NAME AROUND AND MAKE MORE MONEY AFTER ALREADY MAKING MONEY FROM BEING OPRAH BY HERSELF OH HOMEGIRL TURNED THAT INTO HARPO AND KEPT IT MOVING!!!! CANT HELP BUT RESPECT HER…..
I do adimire her business results, and she does inspire us:)
Oprah is definitely a legend. She will be remembered hundreds of years from now, she made black history…hell history period! She is definitely a role model and an insapiration! Go Op! Congrats and may your life be an insiration to all in Gods Will.
go ‘head O! she spoke at HU’s grad last year and i most definitely cried-Oprah’s the truth-got to love her gangsta AND she helped bring Iyalana to the mainstream and THAT woman’s books have truly been a blessing in my life
looks PHOTOSHOPPED as hell, great cover
Oprah is the Sh*t! She’s such a giver and she still got bank….my hero!!!!
Love and admire her, she is the quintessential black woman!
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GO ON OPRAH! Black women rule the world!!!
I love Oprah.
i’m say to say oprah and I don’t get along to well, seeing as how she DOESN’T believe in JESUS CHRIST!!!!! no no baby! u may have fortune and fame, but if you don’t have JESUS nothing else matters!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NizojZIX7Aw
Fuck Oprah…
all she does is cater to White people, and there ignorant ideologies of Blacks
I can’t remember the last time I saw a Black man on her show
Oprah is the definition of having vision and walking in your destiny. She is a world wide example to not just black folk, s but all folks, especially the countless number not born with a silver spoon in their mouth, but have the desire and willingness to forge ahead.
When we stop talking and moving she is what is born.
Oprah for President!!! LOL!!!
mprez2006, that video you posted was interesting.
@40
That was well said.
@ 39
WTF…..
What the hell are you talking about? Are we talking about the same person?
This lady alone has personified the strength, intelligence and business savvy that develop a many black businesses from the 50s and 60s when we could not be around “them”. This woman does her best…at her best to make us look good, hell she does it everyday by just walking out amongst her audience. You need to grow up and stop with the “pseudo – every black person with money and power is an uncle Tom” mentality. It breeds ignorance and furthermore pathologies that keep us at a hood mentality.
And last time I checked Oprah does not need to randomly have black men paraded around on her show as a sign that she is black enough or loves her blackness. Idiots like you are why n***as ( not black folks) questioned whether Obama was black enough. Dumb as hell.
@39 ain’t nobody trippin’ offa seein’ a black man on day time tv, lol…i mean not really like that but so what? who cares? maybe a male oparah shoud emerge…maybe you…but in the mean time i know i don’t give a f*ck…your racial arguments just slightly more valid …but oh well u can’t please everybody all of the time. as a black woman i appreciate what oprah does and how she carries herself.
@9 You have gone way to far with your comment. You act like Oprah is the second coming. LOL!! She ain’t perfect so y’all need to quit putting her on such a high pedstal. She’s not better than me or you. I guess once you get money, your a god. SMH.
Am I the only one who is annoyed by Oprah? …………………..She has changed drastically. When she first came out, this was back in the 80′s when her show was only broadcast in Chicago. Her audience was pre-dominantly black and she talked about topics that black people deal with. Now you watch her show and basically everybody is white. I’m not saying it’s wrong but it just ashame that she changed so drastically just so she can please white people. Another thing is that she is always throwing her wealth around. Everybody saying how giving she is when she really is doing all this for 3 reasons 1) Publicity 2) Praises from the masses and last but mos importantly 3) FOR THE TAX CUTS, FOR THE TAX CUTS, FOR THE TAX CUTS. Notice she started “giving” so much when she start rolling in the dough. She’s done good things don’t get me wrong, but people need to stop worshipping her like she is God, it’s ridiculous. Paul Mooney said it best: “I don’t pray to Saint Therese, I pray to Oprah.” Wake Up people.
Speaking of Paul Mooney here a video of him joking about Oprah.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=b80Ic2MWRrQ
Oprah is the kind of successful person I aspire to be. She is one of the most positive role models to ALL people regardless of gender, creed, nationality or race, but she is definitely the proof that no matter how hard it is for groups that are discriminated against, black people, women, and definitely BLACK WOMEN, impossible is nothing and sky is the limit. I have nothing but an utmost respect for that amazing individual.
Go Oprah!
Go Oprah!!!
OPRAH FOR VICE PRESIDENT
Those facts are not correct , she is not the richest black person, although the richest black woman. I love her . The richest black person is Alinko Dangote according to Forbes . He is a Nigerian business man worth around $4.2 billion dollars. don’t let the “Nigerian” fool you, he surely made some honest living. lol
@ 46, people change, that’s what they do…and paul mooney’s not validifying anything for me, not even via a joke.
Paul Mooney wasn’t suppose to vaildify anything, i thought it was funny.
DAMMIT O, YA LOOK GOOD!
O shoot, gotta go! It’s 4pm!
FUCK OPRAH AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED SHE’S FOR THE WHITE PPL…
MAJORITY OF HER AUDIENCE IS WHITE
MAJORITY OF HER GUESTS ARE WHITE
ONLY THING BLACK IN HER WORLD IS GAYLE AND STEDMAN…AND STEDMAN IS QUESTIONABLE…
I love Oprah. She is truly a role model. She runs a successful business that does not rely on manipulating or degrading anyone and not many people can say that.
People who question Oprah’s “blackness” are pathetic excuses for black people. The Oprah show and the Oprah magazine are one of the FEW forums where I can see black people of all ages being interviewed and treated with some dignity and respect. Her legends ball, where she honored generations of black women, was the first time in ages I’ve seen black women being treated like treasures and not trash. Can’t say the same for the rest of our “black moguls”.
Some black people are so stuck on stupid and think you have to be “down” to be black. Oprah doesn’t need to prove her blackness to anyone. This is a black women who worked her way out of poverty and is a self made mogul. She didn’t have to sell drugs, glorify violence or disrespect black people to do it!
All these so called black people who “keep it real” have not done 1/2 the things Oprah has done to help not only black people but people of all races. How many of these black people who are “down” ran to N.O. and did anything after Katrina? And how many people here who criticize her philanthropy GIVE ANYTHING themselves to help people? And whoever mentioned that she gives to charity just to save on taxes – you are either a fool or you have no understanding of the tax code. A reduction in your taxable income will save you money, but it’s not going to recoup your ENTIRE DONATION! I’m convinced that people who criticize those that help others have SEVERE problems with themselves.
Rock on w/ your miserable selves…
another reason why Oprah is full of it, is because when she do these good things, she as ways got a camera crew there just filming. if this is from the heart, if this is you really trying to be generous, why there got to be camreas? it makes it look like a publicity stunt. “the best charity is anonymous”. but y’all worship saint oprah so my comment is going to fall dead ear to y’all.
@ cookie… you are just another worshipper of oprah. oprah is doing this for taxes but your to dumb to see that. oprah would have to give more money in taxes if she didn’t give to charity. so it’s not about getting the money back dummy it’s about not owing uncle sam as much. then the plus side is she get some of it back. DUH! she isn’t really helping nobody when the problem still exist.
Okay folx! Oprah has made astounding and unprecedented strives throughout her career AND to be a BLACK woman says alot. However, yall need to remember that she is a human being with wealth. She falls short of the grace of GOD just like everyone else.
Noone can ever take away her accomplishments, philanthropy, hard work, etc. However, some of yall white & black seem to worship this woman, and she’s just a woman. Be careful who you worship because there is only ONE GOD!
That’s my two cents!