Oprah's biological father, Vernon Winfrey, was a soldier temporarily stationed at a nearby base. After taking a DNA test in 2006, Oprah discovered that her ancestry dates back to the Kpelle, an African ethnic group that once lived in the country we now call Liberia. Gayle was born in1954, she has her own show called "Gayle King show". You can see Oprah's family tree here. She was named after a biblical character in the Book of Ruth ( Bible) and her original name isOrpah. About Oprah's relationship to her father - Vernon Winfrey (1933-2022): Thanks. Oprah Winfrey was born on January 29th 1954 in Kosciusko, Mississippi, United States to Vernita Lee- a housemaid & Vernon Winfrey- a barber turned city councilman. Decades later, Mississippi farmer and World War II veteran Noah Robinson Sr. (born c. 1925) claimed to be her biological father. Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer, and philanthropist. Her name was supposed to be Orpah, from the Bible, but because of the difficulty of spelling and pronunciation, she was known as Oprah almost from birth. Elmore WINFREY and Beatrice WOODS married on 10 June 1925 in Carroll County, Mississippi, and they had the following children: 6. These two are the most important aspects of Oprahs family history, themes that we encounter again and again. Lloyd Kramer: Oprah was in relationship with the reporter Lloyd Kramer, he supported her through her bad phase of hair loss and bad perm. Her mother, Vernita Lee (born c. 1935), was a housemaid. William Taylor: Oprah had a intense relationship with William "Bubba" Taylor, Their relationship lasted for 5 years from 1971 to 1976. Despite her beginnings, Oprah finished school and received a scholarship into Tennessee State University, where she studied communications. Relationship with Timothy Michael Dowling (Sosa/Ahnentafel #1), Browse using this individual as Sosa/Ahnentafel #1, Sources: Dowling Family Tree - Tim Dowling - rootsweb, 2001-2015 - - electronic - I435544, List of all individuals in the family tree, {{ 'gw_downgraded_access_back_to_max'|translate }}, Born 29January1954 - Kosciusko, Attala Co., MS. John Frank Tesh: Oprah was in relationship with musician and composer John Tesh, it was in the late 1970s and was brief, apparently it was not yet time for interracial relationships. Hattie was born in Mississippi. Earlist LEE was born about June 1892 in Mississippi and died in 1959 in Kosciusko, Attala County, Mississippi. She remembers him as"the most fun romance ever", Randolph Cook: They had a brief encounter in 1985, Roger Ebert: He was a film critic, they had a brief affair in 1980s, he advised her to take the show to the syndication, Image:Oprah Winfrey with Ex-Boyfriend Roger Ebert, Reginald Chevalier: A movie director from Haiti, they were in a romantic relationship, Gayle King: Gayle and Oprah have been friends for a long time, during her depression years in 1970 Gayle supported Oprah, their friendship remains strong to the day, they were seen together so many times that people assumed they were lesbians. Oprahs links to Zambia are most likely part of the Bantu migrations, he says, when a group of Bantu-speaking Africans long ago migrated out of southern Cameroon and peopled huge sections of central and southern Africa. Her family and friends' inability to pronounce "Orpah" caused them to put the "P" before the "R" in every place else other than the birth certificate. Oprah Winfrey is an American TV host, presenter,producer, philonthropist and activist among numerous other things. Season 2 introduces a new power couple to the group, Joi Carter and Clifton Pettie, who were instantly smitten on the Potomac iteration of OWN's 'Ready to Love' series in 2021, and were engaged earlier this year. She celebrated at her daughter Ashley's home.. we even talk a out it to one enotherHope oprah great read this and see she got family here she did not k ow she had. to make a dress, blouse or skirt. Powell, Kimberly. Fail at it. [17], Winfrey was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi to unmarried teenage parents. The thirty-minute weekly show features Winfrey with friend Gayle King.___________________________________________________________________________. View Oprah Winfrey's Family Tree and History, Ancestry and Genealogy Oprah Winfrey's parents: Oprah Winfrey's father is Vernon Winfrey Oprah Winfrey's mother is Vernita Lee Oprah Winfrey's step-mother is Velma Winfrey Oprah Winfrey's children: Oprah Winfrey's son was Son Of Oprah Winfrey Oprah Winfrey's current partners: Shes a property owners daughter. Donald asks the courts to let him tweet. Potato sacks, also known as gunny sacks, are staples of any potato farming operation. Do better the second time. She used to be called "the Preacher" because of her love of talking and she teaches others that "the only person you ever need to be is yourself." Family tree of the Oprah Winfrey family tree on MyHeritage. But Ella Staples was also half-white, giving Oprah another 1/16th. In "Oprah's Roots: An African American Lives Special" (8 p.m. Wednesday, WTTW-Ch. L'arbre In a field dominated by white males, she is a black female of ample bulk. however this 'Above' article states she has no European blood, in her DNA, that is a real mystery if this is accurate. Growing up she lived in poverty. While promoting the movie, co-star Thandie Newton described Winfrey as "a very strong technical actress and it's because she's so smart. On the birth certificate it is Orpah, but then it got translated to Oprah, so here we are. If you prefer to keep it private, Oprah's mother Vernita Lee worked as a house cleaner. As many of us,Oprah also got interested to discover moreabout her family history and decided to do a genetic test in 2006. In 2002 Fortune called O, the Oprah Magazine the most successful start-up ever in the industry. Oprahs maternal grandfather was named Earless/Earlist/Erlisst Lee (the son of Harold/Harry Lee and Elizabeth). Patricia Lee Lloyd: Oprah had a younger sister named Patricia born to her mother in 1960, she died of cocaine addiction in 2003. ", https://achievement.org/achiever/oprah-winfrey/#interview, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oprah_Winfrey, https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/oprah-winfrey-reveals-her-dad-170142761.html, Academy Award Nominees of the 20th Century, US Black Heritage Project Managed Profiles. After I tested uploading my gedcom, each person had a page for pictures, written documents, biographical sketch. 11), Winfrey learns she has a long family history in these two areas. Family Tree of Oprah Winfrey By Aaron May 25, 2011 Today after 25 years of history Oprah hosts the finale today of her show and in MyHeritage we want to pay tribute to such a great woman. A few months ago Patricia discovered that she was the half sister of Oprah and contacted her. Image: Oprah Winfrey Family: Father Vernon Winfrey, Stepmother Barbara Winfrey, boyfriend Stedman Graham Harold was born a slave in Mississippi. Oprah Winfrey Longterm partner: Stedman Graham (since 1992) Stedman Graham Children: Canaan (one son, which died after two weeks from birth) Very often famous people come from rich well known families. The movie critic Roger Ebert persuaded her to sign a syndication deal with King World. Months after breaking up with Otey, Oprah began dating William "Bubba" Taylor. Her test results showed her to be correct about the European ancestry (she had 0 percent), but wrong about the Native American part (8 percent). She is the daughter of Vernon Winfrey and Vernita Lee. Thiswas just the beginning for one of the most powerful women in the world that changed many peoples lives. She was the host of The Oprah Winfrey Show from 1986 to 2011. Patricia Lofton:Oprah's mother had a third daughter in 1962 and named her Patricia as well, she was given up for adoption and Oprah didn't know she had a sister until 2010. Nous sommes tous Her grandmother taught her to read before the age of three and took her to the local church, where she was nicknamed "The Preacher" for her ability to recite Bible verses. Earless was born in Mississippi. Her life is a great example of overcoming extremely hard situations,giving her heart in something important and changing many peoples lives. Forget about the potato sack theory. Film Winfrey as Sofia in The Color Purple In 1985, Winfrey co-starred in Steven Spielberg's The Color Purple as distraught housewife, Sofia. woman from and had children by her. Only the Trusted List can access the following: Leave a message for others who see this profile. It is the talk show as a group therapy session. Oprah was one of the first celebrities to trace her family's roots for the groundbreaking PBS series African American Lives. Reports suggest Prince Charles will live "in a flat above the shop" when he becomes king. Hattie Mae PRESLEY was born about April 1900 in Kosciusko, Attala County, Mississippi and died on 27 Feb 1963 in Kosciusko, Attala County, Mississippi. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the Harvard professor and current host of Finding Your Roots, has written about why Oprahs DNA shows such diversity within Africa. Winfrey founded Harpo Productions, Inc. (now simply Harpo, Inc.) in 1986. You may have seen them used at your local fair for sack-racing. There are also two reoccurring motifs which seem to repeat through her generations. Her first job as a teenager was working at a local grocery store. Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer, and philanthropist. In 2009, Winfrey provided the voice for the character of Eudora, the mother of Princess Tiana, in Disney's The Princess and the Frog and in 2010, narrated the US version of the BBC nature program Life for Discovery. Oprah had a difficuld childhood and problems with her family. She must enjoy her retirement. Vernon Winfrey b. January 31, 1933, MS, United States; d. 1997, of, Mississippi, USA 3. 3. Combining information from Oprahs DNA matches (both in Liberia and among the Gullah people off the coast of South Carolina) with whats known about the history of American slavery suggests that the first slave in her ancestry was likely a woman from West Africa. Oprahs paternal grandfather was Elmore Winfrey (the son of Sanford Elias Winfrey and Ella Staples). I might have to disagree about this not being a good tool for aopfessionrl genealogists. Place of Birth: Kosciusko, Mississippi, U.S. Family tree of Oprah Winfrey Family tree of Oprah Winfrey - EntiTree Visualize the family tree on a dynamic, navigable tree diagram. "Ancestry of Oprah Winfrey." O, The Oprah Magazine Who's your family? She began to steal money from her mother in an effort to keep up with her free-spending peers, to lie to and argue with her mother, and to go out with older boys.[29]. This information, together with historical data found at Ancestry, can be a powerful tool to help break through difficult genealogical brick walls., The world's largest online family history resource - Start now, 6 Unusual Last Names You Wont Believe Exist, The Experience of an Ancestral Home Visit, Discovering African American Heroes in My Family Tree. [5][6] She is also, according to some assessments, the most influential woman in the world.[7][8]. Sources: Genealogies of Oprah Winfrey http://www.wargs.comhttp://www.geni.comhttp://genealogy.about.com, The Guardian article on DNA tests among African-Americans, 2006 http://www.guardian.co.uk, Oprah Winfrey (born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American television host, actress, producer, and philanthropist, best known for her self-titled, multi-award winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history.