winfrey was born in rural mississippi into an extremely poor family. Her mother was a maid,and her father was a barber. winfrey lived in such poverty that she wore dresses made out of potato sacks. winfrey was a talkative girl who would often pretend to interview her dolls. she excelled in school and won a college scholarship. when she graduated, winfrey got a jop reporting the news at a local radio station. she eventually josted a local morning talk show, which was so popular that it was broadcast nationally. the oprah winfrey show now airs in 135 contries, and is viewed by about 46 million people. winfrey also has a magazine, a production company, and co-founded a cable television network