From Jone Johnson Lewis,
Your Guide to Women's History.
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Oprah Winfrey, whose early life was marked by abuse, entered broadcasting in Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 17, moving to news then talk shows. She took a failing Chicago talk show and made it into one of the most popular talk shows ever: The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Oprah Winfrey was the first African American woman to become a billionaire. Read more: Oprah Winfrey biography

Selected Oprah Winfrey Quotations

• I am where I am because of the bridges that I crossed. Sojourner Truth was a bridge. Harriet Tubman was a bridge. Ida B. Wells was a bridge. Madame C. J. Walker was a bridge. Fannie Lou Hamer was a bridge.

• I don't think of myself as a poor, deprived ghetto girl who made good. I think of myself as somebody who from an early age knew I was responsible for myself, and I had to make good.

• My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.

• Become the change you want to see - those are words I live by.

• Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not.

• The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but on significance - and then even the small steps and little victories along your path with take on greater meaning.

• In every aspect of our lives, we are always asking ourselves, How am I of value? What is my worth? Yet I believe that worthiness is our birthright.

• Where there is no struggle, there is no strength.

• The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work.

• I think education is power. I think that being able to communicate with people is power. One of my main goals on this planet is to encourage people to empower themselves.

• I believe that everyone is the keeper of a dream - and by tuning into one another's secret hopes, we can become better friends, better partners, better parents, and better lovers.

• Unless you choose to do great things with it, it makes no difference how much you are rewarded, or how much power you have.

• I believe that every single event in life happens in an opportunity to choose love over fear.

• Right now you are one choice away from a new beginning -- one that leads you toward becoming the fullest human being you can be.

• You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.

• Follow your instincts. That's where true wisdom manifests itself.

• The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.

• I know that you cannot hate other people without hating yourself.

• Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.

• I don't believe in failure. It is not failure if you enjoyed the process.

• Turn your wounds into wisdom.

continued ...

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About These Quotes

Quote collection assembled by Jone Johnson Lewis. Each quotation page in this collection and the entire collection © Jone Johnson Lewis 1997-2005. This is an informal collection assembled over many years. I regret that I am not be able to provide the original source if it is not listed with the quote.

Citation information:
Jone Johnson Lewis. "Oprah Winfrey Quotes." About Women's History. URL: http://womenshistory.about.com/cs/quotes/oprah_winfrey.htm . Date accessed: (today). (More on how to cite online sources including this page)