On September 8, 1986, 32-year-old Oprah Winfrey debuted her nationally syndicated daytime talk show. The Oprah Winfrey Show went on to run for 25 years, and during that time Ms. Winfrey became one of the most influential women in entertainment.

Before the show's debut, Oprah was not a complete unknown on the national stage. That same year she secured an Oscar-nomination for her role as Sofia in The Color Purple.  

But the talk show deal was months before the film's premiere. She signed a deal to expand her local morning show with a $1 million signing bonus just two years after its launch.
A promo for the show's premiere teases a typically formatted talk show that explored inoffensive topics like relationships.


The first show was about relationships titled "How to Marry the Man/Woman of Your Choice.”

She often went up against veteran talk show host Phil Donahue whom the New York Daily News referred to as her "archrival"

At the show's 20th anniversary, Ms. Winfrey reflected on her first day as a national tv host. She read from her journal an excerpt that said, "Maybe going national was to help me realize that I have important work or that this work is important."

In a December 1986 interview with Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes, Oprah explains that her hopes for her life are not wrapped up in the success of the show. "I think we are defined by the way we treat ourselves and the way we treat other people, she said.

"It would be wonderful to be acclaimed as this talk show host whose made it. That would be wonderful, but if that doesn't happen there are other important things in my life."


It seems she's achieved more than she could have imagined. During the show's run, 4,500 episodes aired. The show won 15 Daytime Emmys. She took home 7 as host. That number likely would have been much higher, but in 1999, she removed herself from consideration as host after being presented a lifetime achievement award.



The last episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show aired May 25, 2011. She now runs the Oprah Winfrey Network that's experiencing record ratings with its newest shows.

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Michelle Obama gathered 5,000 women at the White House for the State of Women Summit this week. At the event, women leaders from around the country came together to discuss a variety of women's issues including health and education.

Toward the end of the day, the First Lady and Oprah Winfrey sat down for a candid discussion of advice they'd offer to young women.
The conversation began with Winfrey and the Mrs. Obama discussing the importance of knowing your worth. As the first Black woman to occupy her position, the First Lady has been the subject of lots of scrutiny. But she's gotten through it because she's the same Michelle LaVaugn Robinson Obama. "It takes taking the time to know who you are to deal with the onslaught of negative messages you're bound to get," she said.

She's thrived for eight years in the White House, she says, because she's always had a support system, that includes incredible men, around her.

Mrs. Obama went on to tell the audience that the only way to prove the haters wrong is to be excellent. "They'll remember what you do," she said.

Excellence is a subject she knows intimately. Mrs. Obama was raised middle class on the south side of Chicago and went on to graduate from Princeton College and Harvard Law School. Before the White House, she worked as Vice President for Community and External Affairs at the University of
Chicago.

Underestimated her entire life, the First Lady explained, "the best revenge is success and good work."

Throughout the conversation Michelle Obama and Oprah have a lot of fun. When they talk about her husband and the post-White House plans she's particularly loose.




Photo: YouTube

Oprah's new stake in Weight Watchers has already made her tons of money. With her latest commercials for the brands, she details her own struggles with weight loss. We've seen Oprah's journey in getting her life healthier, but what message is she sending?

In an open letter, Melissa Harris-Perry tells Oprah that they are much more important components to Oprah's life than her dress size.

[Oprah Buys 10% of Weight Watchers, Sees Huge Return]

Oprah sat down with Stephen Colbert on "The Late Show" this week to promote the new OWN miniseries "Belief." During the discussion O, who usually talks about her religious practice is vague terms, revealed her favorite Bible verse. The late night host shared his too.

Dwana Smallwood was a premier dancer for the Alvin Ailey company for 12 years. It led to opportunities to dance around the world and eventually a slot performing in an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. That performance ignited a new passion for teaching for the dancer, considered one of modern dancing's best, and helped both build and realize a dream for Smallwood.

Black history and Civil Rights are never just reserved for February.