Oprah Winfrey now has a museum exhibition in honor of her contributions to American culture and history
Over the years, Oprah Winfrey has become a force to reckon with in
the media, not just because of her talent as a daytime television host,
but also because of her other contributions to the American culture.
The media entrepreneur launched literary careers, convened difficult
conversations about race and gender, and also made huge donations to
support charities dear to her heart. As a result of her immense
contribution in shaping America, the National Museum of African American
History and Culture will open a new exhibit on Friday titled "Watching
Oprah: The Oprah Winfrey Show and American Culture".
The exhibition will feature video clips, interview segments, movie
costumes, and personal photographs and journals to explore what has
influenced Winfrey and how her work has shaped America.
Speaking
about the exhibition, museum director Lonnie G. Bunch III said: "What’s
interesting is the same way America thought about Walter Cronkite — you
could trust Walter Cronkite and his opinion — they trust Oprah. An
African American woman becomes the person America turns to."
Winfrey
donated $21 million to the $540 million museum, making her its largest
individual benefactor (its theater is named in her honor). But Bunch
said her role as benefactor did not influence the exhibition.
"We
made sure there was a bright line, that this was done by the museum and
museum scholars," he said. "The fundraising was not through Oprah’s
people."
The
exhibition will open on Friday and run through June 2019. Among the
artifacts included in the exhibition is a page from the 1971 yearbook
from East Nashville High School, highlighting Winfrey’s participation in
student government during her senior year there. A red suit designed by
Celine and worn by Winfrey during her famous Sept. 13, 2004, car
giveaway stunt, in which she gave every member of her studio audience a
new Pontiac sedan, will also feature in the exhibition.
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