Explore Black History

2009

A wireless gold-plated microphone (.1ab) and case (.2) used by Oprah Winfrey during episodes of Season 24 of The Oprah Winfrey Show. The hand-held microphone has a circular gold mesh wire grill with a flattened top covering the foam interior of the microphone. The grill is bisected around the sides by a band of gold-plated metal. The grill is attached to a gold-plated cylindrical handle. The handle is made from two pieces, with a small rectangular digital display screen on the top half of the handle bordered by gray plastic, with "G1 470-530 MHZ" printed in white type below it. A smaller round-edged cylindrical piece of black plastic protrudes from the bottom of the handle with the text "SHURE" in relief on the tip and an On/Off switch where the tip meets the handle. The bottom half of the handle (b) screws off to reveal a battery chamber that holds two (2) AA batteries. Opposite the battery chamber is a digital push-button menu with four (4) buttons reading clockwise from top: up-facing arrow, "enter", down-facing arrow, "exit". The button menu is directly below the digital display screen on the exterior of the top half of the handle. Beneath the buttons is a manufacturer's label with serial and model numbers, and a key for the menu buttons.
.2: A black hard plastic briefcase-style case for the microphone (.1ab). The case is rectangular with rounded corners and a sloping angle on the top side around the handle and clasps. Gold text is painted on the front of the case reading "SHURE ®" in the top left facing corner, "UHF-R (R) Wireless Systems" in the top right facing corner, and "Audio/Reference/Companding" in the bottom left facing corner. Opaque white adhesive tape is placed at the center top edge with black typed text reading "OPRAH'S GOLD MIC". The top of the case has a rounded handle at the center, with two (2) gray plastic clasps, one on either side of the handle. There are plastic ridges on the bottom of the case that act as feet when the case is closed and standing upright. Inside the case on both the top and bottom is gray soft foam with shapes cut out to so the microphone and its components can be nested inside.

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Tools and Equipment

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Oprah Winfrey

National Museum of African American History and Culture

2014.324.3.1-.2

cases (containers)
microphones

No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

.1ab: plastic, metal, gold plate, wire, and foam;
.2: plastic, foam, and ink on adhesive paper

H x W x D (.1ab): 9 15/16 × 2 × 2 in. (25.2 × 5.1 × 5.1 cm)
H x W x D (.2 (open)): 10 1/4 × 10 13/16 × 9 7/8 in. (26 × 27.5 × 25.1 cm)
H x W x D (.2 (closed)): 8 11/16 × 10 7/8 × 2 9/16 in. (22.1 × 27.6 × 6.5 cm)

Object Name • Gold wireless microphone and black case used on The Oprah Winfrey Show

nmaahc_2014.324.3.1-.2

NMAAHC

GOLD WIRELESS MICROPHONE AND BLACK CASE USED ON THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW

National Museum of African American History and Culture

CC0

2000s

Shure • Winfrey, Oprah • Harpo, Inc.

New York City • Chicago • United States • Illinois • North and Central America • Cook County

Television • Actors and actresses • Entertainers • Mass media

City • Chicago • County • Cook County • State • Illinois • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America • City • New York City • State • New York

microphones • Cases (containers)

Electronic resource • Images

No Known Copyright Restrictions