Raised on grandmother's farm in Mississippi

Moved to Milwaukee to live with her mother at age six

Went to live with father in Nashville, TN where she became an honor student and joined drama club

Crowned Miss Fire Prevention in Nashville at age 17

Won Miss Black Tennesee pageant

Competed in Miss Black America pageant

Started as radio reporter while still a Nashville high school student

At age 19, became the first black anchor on Nashville's WVOL nightly newscast; later moved to the CBS affiliate WTFV-TV (1975)

Moved to Baltimore; worked as TV feature reporter and co-anchor for WJZ-TV

Co-hosted morning talk show "People Are Talking"

Moved to Chicago; hosted own half-hour TV show, "AM Chicago"

"AM Chicago" expanded to one hour and renamed "The Oprah Winfrey Show"

Feature acting debut, "The Color Purple"; earned Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination

"The Oprah Winfrey Show" picked up for national syndication; premiered in syndication on September 8

Hosted first TV special, "A Star-Spangled Celebration"

Second film role as Mrs. Thomas, the mother of an accused murderer, in "Native Son"

Assumed ownership and production of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" through Harpo Prods.

Executive produced (also acted) the TV movie, "Women of Brewster Place" (ABC)

Executive produced (also acted) a short-lived ABC series spin-off, "Brewster Place"

Executive produced "Michael Jackson Talks... To Oprah - 90 Primetime Minutes With the King of Pop" (ABC)

Portrayed LaJoe Rivers in "There Are No Children Here" (ABC)

Finished a marathon (26.2 miles) alongside trainer Bob Greene

Renewed contract with King World to continue hosting talk show through 1997; signed deal with Capital Cities/ABC Inc to provide primetime programming beginning in the 1996-97 TV season; signed multi-picture deal with Walt Disney Company and announced first feature would be an adaptation of Toni Morrison's "Beloved"

Began regular segment "Oprah's Book Club"

Appeared as a therapist on the celebrated "coming out" episode of "Ellen" (ABC)

Renewed contract with King World to continue talk show through the year 2000

Stayed in Amarillo, Texas six weeks, defending herself in $10 million libel suit brought by a group of cattlemen over some offhand remarks uttered on her talk show; she won in a victory for the First Amendment

Executive produced the ABC miniseries "The Wedding"; adapted from the novel by Dorothy West (February)

At start of 13th season on TV, introduced "change your life television" featuring numerous guests culled from the ranks of self-help authors; also debuted a new theme to show, "Run On," which she sang lead vocals; also began Oprah's Angel Network

Signed contract to host TV talk show through the 2001-02 season

Served as executive producer of the ABC remake of "David and Lisa"

Starred in (also produced) an adaptation of Toni Morrison's novel, "Beloved"

In November, joined with Geraldine Laybourne (of Oxygen Media) and Marcy Carsey (of Carsey-Werner-Mandabach) in announcing plans to create Oxygen, a new cable channel aimed specifically at women

In July, announced joint venture with Hearst Magazines to publish new magazine aimed at women and covering spiritual issues

Executive produced the highly-rated TV-movie "Oprah Winfrey Presents: Tuesdays With Morrie" (ABC); won Emmy as Outstanding Made for Television Movie

Began honoring everyday heroes on her talk show via the "Use Your Life" award

Launched the magazine O, The Oprah Magazine (April)

Executive produced another popular TV Movie, "Amy & Isabelle"

In March, signed deal to remain with "The Oprah Winfrey Show" through the 2005-06 season

Made Forbes magazine's Billionaire's list, the first black woman to do so and only the second African-American billionaire (after BET founder Robert Johnson) with a reported net worth of $1 billion

Produced and invested more than $1 million in the Broadway musical adaptation "Oprah Winfrey Presents: The Color Purple"; the show earned 11 Tony nominations

Signed a three-year, $55 million deal to debut a new XM Satellite Radio channel titled "Oprah & Friends"; the channel will air programming related to fitness, health, self-improvement

Signed on with Simon & Schuster to pen a book about weight control, reportedly receiving more than $12 million

Voiced Gussy the goose in live-action/computer-animated feature film "Charlotte's Web"

Invested $40 million and much of her time establishing the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls near Johannesburg in South Africa (opened in January)

Oprah Winfrey and Discovery Communications announced plans to create OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network; will debut in 2009