Out of the throes of poverty, Winfrey was an extremely bright child; she learned to read at age 2 and a half, and skipped kindergarten. Her (unmarried) parents split when she was very young and subsequently, she was sent to live with her grandmother, on a farm with no indoor plumbing. Young Oprah received her first pair of shoes at the age of six.

That same year, she moved to Milwaukee to be with her mother and there, her life would be altered forever. Male members of her family sexually molested her from the time she was nine, and those events continue to affect Oprah until this day. In fact, Winfrey did not reveal her history of abuse until the late 1980s.

At 14, Winfrey broke the cycle of molestation and moved in with her strict but loving father in Nashville, Tennessee. The troubles, for a while, merely continued however. That year, she gave birth to a baby boy, who, born two months premature, died after two weeks. Winfrey revealed to her father that the past couple of years she had been a wild child, experimenting with drugs and sex. She was no doubt rebelling against the hell she was experiencing in Milwaukee.

Things did finally turn around. Thanks to her father's insistence that hard work and discipline were the only routes to success, Winfrey refocused her life and won a scholarship to Tennessee State University. During her studies, she worked as a radio announcer for WVOL in Nashville, and, after receiving a BA in Speech and Performing Arts, became a reporter for WTVF-TV; Nashville's first female and first black TV-news anchor.

1972's Miss Black Tennessee made huge strides during the period between 1976 and 1983. Living in Baltimore, Maryland, she was elevated from news anchor to co-host of the popular show People Are Talking on WJZ-TV. Coaxed by executives to take over the unsuccessful A.M. Chicago, she moved to the Midwest in 1984. By September of '85, Winfrey had made the show a hit -- it was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show and was extended to an hour in length.

Winfrey's big-screen debut was met with just as much applause as her confrontational-style talk show. Steven Spielberg's The Color Purple was released in 1985 and Winfrey, in the role of Sofia, was getting noticed on a much broader scale. In fact, she earned an Academy Award and Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress that year, and continued to act; she took on a role in the 1986 film adaptation of Richard Wright's book, Native Son.

As The Oprah Winfrey Show began to hit households worldwide, Winfrey knew she was part of something big. In 1986, she established Harpo Productions, Inc., a production facility that established her as only the third woman in American entertainment to own such a studio (and the first to own and produce her own talk show). The years went by and as Winfrey dealt with issues of health, love and relationships on her show, the nation embraced her. In 1987, the show took home three Daytime Emmys in its first year of eligibility. As it stands now, Winfrey and her talk show have collected 34 Emmys. She has also permanently withdrawn from the Daytime Emmys after receiving a Lifetime Achievement award in 1998.

It would be unjust to say that Winfrey's career has not been without its fair share of bumps. Sued in 1998 by cattle farmers in Texas who claimed their loss in revenues was a direct result of her negative comments about eating meat on her show, Winfrey was forced to relocate her program to Amarillo as the trial took place. With the whole town and the jury on her side, she won the case and emerged as popular as ever.

Another bump came in the form of her "baby," the movie Beloved. Though she put her heart and soul into the Toni Morrison-authored novel-turned-film, it was a commercial flop.

Of course, she bounced back. Reaching over 100 countries and 26 million homes in the U.S. daily, The Oprah Winfrey Show is one of a kind. And in 1994, Winfrey refocused the issues raised on the program. Instead of being almost Jerry Springer-like in content, as it was in the beginning, The Oprah Winfrey Show now asks viewers to "get with the program," focusing on self-improvement and the uplifting stories of everyday people. She also launched her phenomenally successful Book Club in 1996, which propelled every book featured onto bestseller lists nationwide.

Oprah has turned her successful daytime show into an empire; her interactive women's network known as Oxygen TV, O magazine and Angel Network are only three of her many successful ventures. Time magazine recognized her influence and named her one of the 100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century, not only because of her show, but also because of her charitable efforts. As proof of her golden heart, look no further than an instance in 1993 when, after heavy lobbying by Winfrey, President Clinton passed the Oprah Bill, aimed at putting an end to child abuse by establishing a database of child molesters in the nation.

Now the only African-American woman to ever be included on Forbes' billionaire list, Winfrey has perhaps run out of incredible "firsts" to call her own. Or -- with long-term beau Stedman Graham by her side -- has she?

In fact, is there a person more respected on television than Ms. Winfrey? It seems that any celebrity readily accepts a request for an interview with her (even Michael Jackson) and any controversial subject is acceptable when dealt with in her studio. Her years of service as an honest TV personality have translated into a loyal following of stay-at-home-moms and soul-searching individuals.

This dedicated viewership has, in turn, made Oprah quite a wealthy woman. It is amazing to think that, according to Forbes magazine, she is worth one billion dollars. No other television host even comes close to that figure and even those who can claim big bucks certainly can't say they work to improve people's lives day in and day out.

No matter what you think of the new, self-empowering, spiritual road that Oprah's show has taken, few will argue that she is anything but a positive influence on television. She brings out the best in her guests and always seeks to teach her audience. More than anyone else, Oprah is da woman.

Ask people what they think Oprah's strongest trait is and you'll end up compiling a very, very long list of admirable qualities. At the root of her success is an inquisitive nature and thirst for knowledge that cannot be quenched. Beyond that, there is no argument she is also an incredibly open-minded and charitable person. Easily moved by heartwarming stories that are brought up on her show, Oprah is also sensitive and caring.

She can almost be considered superwoman, possessing an arsenal of honorable qualities that can make a fan out of even the most cynical person. Those who have seen her laugh know she can be as lighthearted and silly as anyone else and, on the other hand, she will always stick to her guns on a subject that she deeply believes in. Herein lies her best trait: when Oprah recognizes something that she knows will benefit those around her, she will stop at nothing to get the word out. Whether it is her book club, Angel Network or other noteworthy project, she doesn't rest until her "duty" is done.

When it comes to grabbing your attention and getting down and dirty with a controversial issue, Oprah is your man... uh, woman. Though some have observed a slight lack in originality in some of her programs of late, her show still stands above the rest in terms of content. As an interviewer, host, producer, and businesswoman behind the success of many Harpo-led projects, Oprah possesses one of the most talented minds in the biz.

Nearing 50, Oprah still acts and looks decades younger. Thanks to this energy, we still see an undeniable allure when she walks on stage, and we're not thinking about her money either. Maybe it's the power she exudes, but even if it's not, Oprah brightens her audience's day in more ways than one when her theme song starts playing every afternoon.

Oprah Winfrey's resume could not be more complete. Since The Oprah Winfrey Show began airing nationwide in 1986, it has remained the number one talk show on television and is now considered to be the highest-rated program of its kind in history. It is broadcast in over 130 countries and attracts an estimated 26 million viewers in the U.S. each day. Truly, she has conquered television. If you are a nonbeliever, check out this fact: The Oprah Winfrey Show has collected an incredible 34 Emmy awards in its tenure atop the afternoon ratings.

As chairman of Harpo Entertainment Group, which produces her show, Oprah is one of only three women in TV or film to own a production studio (the others are Lucille Ball and Mary Pickford). She has spearheaded many important moves within Harpo, including the establishment of Oprah's Book Club in 1996, which immediately put every one of her choices on several bestseller lists. Her Angel Network, which honors and stresses the importance of volunteerism and other charitable actions, is also a noted enterprise doing especially well.

With the continued success of her show, Oprah quickly went from "successful black TV host" to "the most successful female in television history." She quickly earned millions of dollars as The Oprah Winfrey Show gained popularity, but that didn't divert her from achieving her goals. As a lobbyist, she was the driving force behind getting President Clinton to sign the Oprah Bill in 1993, which created a national database of child abusers.

As an actress, Oprah will always be remembered for her 1985 performance in The Color Purple, for which she received an Academy Award and Golden Globe nomination. Even Beloved, a film that was considered to be her "baby" and did not do well at the box office, is still considered a great piece of work.

Oprah's feats as a businesswoman are now getting the most recognition. O magazine was first published in 2000 and, with its self-help advice, now boasts a circulation of some 2.7 million readers. Furthermore, Winfrey has launched Oxygen TV, an interactive network geared towards women.

Included among Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century, Oprah is truly one for the ages. With her show and numerous business ventures, her influence is unmatched. The first African-American woman to be on Forbes' billionaire list, Oprah most importantly commands an incredible amount of respect as a person thanks to her incredible rise to the top of television.

Even when she is losing her public battles with her weight, Oprah still emits a healthy glow. Her face lights up with one of the brightest smiles around (with the help of her makeup crew) and her various hairstyles have kept her looking great throughout the many years, especially when she graced the cover of Vogue magazine in 1998. With her love for yoga and other New Age exercises, Oprah's youthfulness should continue to shine through for many more years. O yeah!

Dignified yet casual, Oprah always seems to look comfortable in her work attire. Chic sweaters and stylish blazers alternate with many tasteful pairs of pants, to accentuate her class in a way only Oprah knows how. With all her original ensembles, we wouldn't be surprised if she adds a fashion line to her list of enterprises.

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