NAAM’s Freedom Day is a free monthly event celebrating history, culture, and community. Each Freedom Day features special programs, activities, and museum access for all ages—at no cost. We use Freedom Day as an opportunity to highlight key moments in the ongoing fight for freedom and equity.
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Freedom Day at NAAM | February 8
In honor of February 8, 1986 - the day Oprah became the first Black woman to host a nationally syndicated talk show, NAAM hosted for an inspiring panel discussion that celebrates the legacy of Black women in media and explores how they continue to trail blaze across platforms today.
The special guest panelist included:
Paris Jackson is a mom, Emmy award-winning Journalist, TV Host, and women’s health advocate. She is the host of The Newsfeed on Cascade PBS, which airs every Friday night. She is known for her smart analysis and steady delivery in interviews with political leaders and newsmakers.
Falesha Johnson is a multifaceted woman who has built a personal brand across platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and more. Additionally, she is a wife, entrepreneur, a former professional athlete, a co-host on her podcast Rebirth of Life and Love, that she hosts with her husband.
The panelist discussed their journeys, challenges, and triumphs in shaping the future of media.
Trailblazer, Oprah Winfrey
Oprah’s ability to present Black stories as mainstream stories, in ways that were both inspiring and transformative, shifted the culture’s take on Black women. In every episode, Oprah would artfully weave together shared human experiences of joy, pain, triumph, and perseverance and by doing so, she elevated Black stories and ideas in ways that challenged stereotypes and expanded cultural understanding. By fostering conversations about universal issues like family, health, success, and resilience, Oprah created a space where Black women could be seen as multifaceted, dynamic, and universally relatable. This relatability bridged divides and reshaped perceptions, inviting audiences of all backgrounds to connect with stories they might have otherwise overlooked
Oprah’s embrace of her blackness on the national stage gave others the confidence and permission to do the same, broadening what was thought possible for and by many Black women at the time. Her legacy paved the way for journalists and hosts like Tamron Hall and Besa Gordon to creators like Ava DuVernay and Issa Rae to find success representing humanizing, honest, and affirming narratives about the Black community.
The impact of this moment didn’t just transform television, it set the stage for a new generation of storytellers on social media. In today’s digital age, Black women have seized the opportunity to create their own narratives. Influencers like Tabitha Brown, Jackie Aina, and others now use their platform to inspire, educate, and empower their audiences and are able to do so while being unapologetically Black.
Oprah’s achievement challenged the status quo and redefined what freedom could look like in media—an inclusive space where Black women could tell their own stories, control their own narratives, and inspire future generations regardless of a viewer's background.
On February 8, 1986, Oprah Winfrey became the first Black woman to host a nationally syndicated talk show, marking a groundbreaking moment in American history. Her achievement wasn’t just about ratings or celebrity—it was a revolutionary act of representation that shattered barriers and opened doors for countless others.
Oprah’s rise to national prominence occurred in an era when Black voices, particularly Black women’s voices, were often marginalized in mainstream media, or showcased in stereotypical, and even derogatory ways.
