John H. Johnson

John H. Johnson began his publishing career in November 1942 as editor and publisher of NEGRO DIGEST, later BLACK WORLD.   The company, founded by Mr. Johnson, publishes EBONY, the No.1 African-American magazine in the world every consecutive year since its founding in 1945, and JET, the world's No.1 African-American newsweekly magazine, founded in 1951.   Johnson Publishing Company, Inc. has been the world's largest Black-owned publishing company for 60 years.

Johnson Publishing Company also publishes books exclusively by Black authors and owns Fashion Fair Cosmetics, the largest Black-owned cosmetics company in the world, and produces television specials.   Mr. Johnson became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Supreme Life Insurance Company, where he began his career as an office boy.

Johnson was the first black person to appear on the Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest Americans in 1982.

My favorite quote from Johnson is "I didn't try for a bank loan when I first started in 1942 because I knew I couldn't get one."

Daughter, Linda Johnson Rice, took over as CEO of the firm in 2002.

Johnson died of heart failure on Monday, August 8, 2005.

HONORARY DOCTORAL DEGREES

American University, Benedict College, Carnegie-Mellon Institute, Central State College, Chicago State University, Clark Atlanta University, DePaul University, Eastern Michigan University, Hamilton College, Harvard University, Howard University, Lincoln University, Malcolm X College, Morehouse College, New York University, North Carolina College, North Carolina A&T State University, Northeastern University, Northwestern University, Pratt Institute, Roosevelt University, Shaw University, Syracuse University, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, University of the District of Columbia, University of Illinois, University of Southern California, Upper Iowa College, Wayne State University and Wilberforce University.

NATIONAL SERVICE APPOINTMENTS

1957 - Accompanied Vice President Richard M. Nixon on a special goodwill tour to nine African countries

1959 - Accompanied Vice President Nixon to Russia and Poland

1961 - Appointed by President John F. Kennedy as Special United States Ambassador to the Independence Ceremonies of the Ivory Coast

1963 - Appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson as Special United States Ambassador to the Independence Ceremonies of Kenya

1966 - Appointed by President Johnson to National Selective Service Commission

1970 - Appointed by President Nixon as a member of the President's Commission for the Observance of the 25th Anniversary of the United Nations

BOARD MEMBERSHIPS OF BUSINESS CORPORATIONS

Dillard Department Stores, Inc.

Past board memberships include: VIAD CORP., Bell & Howell; Chrysler Corp; Conrail; Continental Bank; Arthur D. Little; Supreme Life Insurance Company; Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation; Zenith Electronics Corporation. 

PHILANTHROPIC, CIVIC AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

Trustee, The Art Institute of Chicago and United Negro College Fund; Advisory Council, Harvard Graduate School of Business; Director, National Conference of Christians & Jews; Industries Advisory Committee - The Advertising Council, Inc.