Oprah Winfrey is not just America’s only African-American billionaire. She’s also a media proprietor, a talk-show host, an actress, and a producer. She’s also a well-known philanthropist. And that’s no surprise, considering that she is considered by some to be the world’s most influential woman.
Coming from a background with significant hardships, including a single mother, rural poverty, molestation, and a teenage pregnancy (the child died shortly after birth), Oprah’s rise to fame was certainly not easy. But these days, Oprah is a self-made billionaire and the richest African-American of the 20th century.
Dedicating herself to helping others, Oprah created the Angel Network in 1998, which raised over $80,000,000 in its twelve years of operation. Since Winfrey covered all administrative costs for the program, 100% of the profits went to charitable projects and nonprofit organizations all over the world.
Oprah also operates two private philanthropies: The Oprah Winfrey Foundation and the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation. A big supporter of educational programs and organizations all over the world, Oprah has donated over $100 million to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy For Girls in South Africa. The foundation opened in 2007 to give academically gifted girls from impoverished backgrounds the opportunities of education and leadership. In her lifetime, she’s given a total of over $400 million.