The Smithsonian Institution announced that Oprah Winfrey — she of “O, the Oprah Magazine,” Oprah’s Book Club, the Oprah Winfrey Network, and “The Oprah Winfrey Show” — is donating $12 million to the forthcoming National Museum of African American History and Culture, which is due to open near the Washington Monument in 2015. Combined with her $1 million donation in 2007, this makes her the largest donor to the institution.
"I am so proud of African American history and its contributions to our nation as a whole," Winfrey said. "I am deeply appreciative of those who paved the path for me and all who follow in their footsteps. By investing in this museum, I want to help ensure that we both honor and preserve our culture and history, so that the stories of who we are will live on for generations to come."
