Continuing from last week’s post on Madam CJ Walker, let’s look at the businesses and accomplishments of another innovator for or Celebrating Entrepreneurs series as a part of Black History Month. Today we’ll focus on a media mogul who was an early pioneer in the world of publishing and truly built an empire from very humble beginnings: John H. Johnson.
After moving from the South to Chicago, Johnson demonstrated leadership and publishing strengths in high school alongside famous classmates like Nat King Cole and Redd Foxx. Johnson received a scholarship to the University of Chicago and a job offer for an African-American owned insurance company, where he was inspired to start his own business and bring news to his local community.
In 1942, he used his mother’s furniture as collateral to print his first issue of The Negro Digest, a publication dedicated to African American history, literature, arts, and cultural issues, which later was known as Black World. During this time, he relied on a mentor, Joseph Levy, to develop marketing and distribution skills to get his magazine sold in urban centers. His second and most successful magazine, Ebony, was even more successful and took a Life-style approach to chronicaling successes and achievements of African Americans. Back issues of Ebony are available for free on Google Books. He would also found Jet magazine, a weekly digest of news in the black community, famous for chronicling the Civil Rights Movement, in 1951.
Overall, the Johnson Publishing Company remains hugely successful and consistently posts readership numbers in the millions. The company also acquired cosmetics, fashion and book publishing divisions along the way, increasing its number of employees and sales receipts. Johnson became the first black man to be included in the Forbes 400 list of wealthiest Americans in 1982 at the age of 64.
Johnson is not only remembered for his wealth and innovation, but his work as an ambassador, accompanying the vice President to Russia and Poland in 1959 and his appointment as an ambassador to the Ivory Coast in 1961 and in Kenya in 1963. In 1996, President Bill Clinton bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the following year, he was inducted into the Junior Achievement National Business Hall of Fame. Though he died in 2005, his legacy as an innovative entrepreneur and savvy businessman lives on and inspires others to take risks and create a business. Mr. Johnson’s innovation, hard work, and commitment to his business made him one of the most successful entrepreneurs of all time.
Which past entrepreneurs have inspired you? Tell us in the comments section below.
