drew millions of viewers across every background, making her show the highest rated talk show in television history. off screen, oprah winfrey has used her influence to support underserved communities and to lift up the lives of young people, especially young women around the world. in her story, we are reminded that no dream can be deferred when we refuse to let life s obstacles keep us down. [ applause ] medal of freedom honorees, please.
humanity within the law. [ applause ]ñññ oprah g. winfrey. oprah g. winfrey is a global media icon. when she launched the oprah winfrey show in 1986, there were few women and even fewer women of color with a national platform to discuss the issues and events shaping our times. but over the 25 years that followed, oprah winfrey s ipnate gift for tapping into our most fervent hopes and deepest fears
he was an advisor to randolph, one of the first african-americans to suggest a march on washington. and later he was the organizer of the first march on washington in 1963. this year we celebrated the 50th anniversary. there are so many luminaries that he s acknowledging. dean smith, a basketball coach, yufrts of north carolina, he was also aism rights activist and a big and of course, gloria steinem and oprah winfrey. and gloria, oprah winfrey, also a hugely successful business woman. but this is a woman whose endorsement of president obama was very significant. it was significant. and by the way, very controversial for her. she was america s talk show host.