John H. Johnson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John H. Johnson
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John Harold Johnson
January 19, 1918 Arkansas City, Arkansas, U.S.
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| Died | August 8, 2005 (aged 87) |
| Resting place | Oak Woods Cemetery (Chicago, Illinois) |
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| Years active | 1942–2003 |
| Organization | Johnson Publishing Company (founder) |
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| Children | 2 |
John Harold Johnson (born January 19, 1918 – died August 8, 2005) was an important American businessman and publisher. He started the Johnson Publishing Company in 1942 in Chicago, Illinois. His company became one of the most influential African-American businesses in media. This was mainly thanks to his popular magazines, Ebony (started in 1945) and Jet (started in 1951).
In 1982, Johnson made history as the first African American to be listed on the Forbes 400, which names the richest people in the U.S. He was named Black Enterprise Entrepreneur of the Year in 1987. In 1996, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the highest awards a civilian can get in the United States.
Contents
John H. Johnson's Early Life
Moving to Chicago
John H. Johnson was born in Arkansas City, Arkansas. His family moved to Chicago during the Great Migration. This was a time when many African Americans moved from the Southern U.S. to Northern cities. John faced teasing in his new high school because of his old clothes and country ways. He also met middle-class Black students, which was new to him.
High School and First Job
Johnson later transferred to DuSable High School. His classmates included famous people like Nat King Cole and Redd Foxx. He was a strong leader in high school, serving as student council president and editor of the school newspaper. He studied hard, even reading self-improvement books at night.
After graduating with honors in 1936, he earned a scholarship to the University of Chicago. However, he worried about how to pay for living expenses. At an event, Harry Pace, who led the Supreme Life Insurance Company, heard Johnson speak. Pace was so impressed that he offered Johnson a job. This job allowed Johnson to use his scholarship and attend college.
Johnson started as an office boy at Supreme Life. Within two years, he became Pace's assistant. One of his jobs was to create a monthly summary of newspaper articles. This made him wonder if other people would enjoy a similar publication. He got the idea for a magazine like Reader's Digest, but for the African-American community. Working at Supreme Life also showed him how a Black-owned business operated. This fueled his dream of starting his own company.
Johnson Publishing Company
Starting Negro Digest
John H. Johnson felt that the idea for Negro Digest was like finding "black gold." Many people tried to discourage him, but he stayed excited. Only his mother believed in his vision. She allowed him to use her furniture as collateral for a $500 loan. He used this money to publish the first issue of Negro Digest in 1942.
Getting the magazine to readers was a challenge at first. Then, he met Joseph Levy, a magazine distributor. Levy was impressed with Johnson and helped him get the magazine onto newsstands in many cities. Within six months, 50,000 copies were being sold. Negro Digest featured articles on African-American history, literature, and culture. Later, its name was changed to Black World.
The Success of Ebony and JET
While Negro Digest was successful, it was nothing compared to Johnson's next magazine, Ebony. Ebony was so popular that its first 25,000 copies quickly sold out. The magazine was designed to look like popular magazines such as Life.
Ebony focused on the achievements of successful African Americans. It also included photo essays about current events and articles on race relations. At first, it highlighted famous people in the Black community. Later, it covered important issues like the civil rights movement, Freedom Rides, and other aspects of segregation. Professional historians joined the magazine's staff to properly document the contributions of African Americans to U.S. history. Ebony used African-American models in its ads and showed positive images of Black life and culture. Johnson believed Ebony's success came from showing a positive image of African Americans.
In 1951, Johnson launched Jet, a weekly news digest. Other publications included African American Stars and Ebony Jr., a magazine for children. While all his magazines did well, none matched Ebony's success. In its 40th year, Ebony sold 2.3 million copies. This success helped make Johnson one of the richest people in the United States.
One of Johnson's most impactful decisions was publishing a photograph of Emmett Till. Till was a Black teenager who was murdered in Mississippi in 1955. The photo showed the brutality of the crime. This image helped spark strong emotions and brought attention to the civil rights movement.
Other Business Ventures
Beyond magazines, Johnson Publishing Company owned other businesses. These included Fashion Fair Cosmetics, a leading makeup and skin care company for women of color. They also had Supreme Beauty products for hair care. The company was involved in television production and created the Ebony Fashion Fair. This was a large traveling fashion show that raised over $47 million for charity. The show visited more than 200 cities across the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean.
Johnson Publishing also had a book division. At its peak, the company employed over 2,600 people and had sales of more than $388 million. John H. Johnson also bought several radio stations and served on the board of directors for major companies like the Greyhound Corporation.
Honors and Awards
John H. Johnson received many awards for his achievements. In 1966, he earned the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's Spingarn Medal for his work in race relations. In 1951, he was the first African American named Young Man of the Year by the United States Chamber of Commerce. Major magazine publishers in the U.S. named him Publisher of the Year in 1972.
In 1986, Johnson received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement. He also received a Candace Award in 1989 for his distinguished service. In 1993, to celebrate his company's 50th anniversary, Johnson published his autobiography. In it, he wrote, "if it could happen to a Black boy from Arkansas it could happen to anyone."
In 1995, he received the Communication Award for Ebony magazine's 50th anniversary. Leaders in media praised him as a role model. They noted how his hard work and belief in himself led to great success despite many challenges. Because of his influence, the U.S. government invited Johnson to join several international missions. He traveled with the Vice President to Russia and Poland in 1959. He also served as a special ambassador for the U.S. at independence ceremonies in Côte d'Ivoire in 1961 and Kenya in 1963. Johnson often featured articles about African independence movements in Ebony, even dedicating an entire issue to "Africa, the Continent of the Future" in 1976.
In 1996, President Bill Clinton gave Johnson the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1997, Johnson was added to the Junior Achievement National Business Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame in 2001. By this time, he had received other awards, including the Horatio Alger Award. He was the first African American on Forbes' list of the 400 wealthiest Americans. He also received honorary doctorates from many universities, including Harvard University.
Death and Legacy
John H. Johnson passed away on August 8, 2005, from heart failure. He was survived by his wife, daughter Linda Johnson-Rice, and a granddaughter. His son, John Jr., had passed away earlier in 1981 at age 25. A public viewing was held at Johnson Publishing Headquarters. His funeral took place at the University of Chicago's Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, with about 3,000 people attending. This included former U.S. president Bill Clinton, future U.S. president Barack Obama, and civil rights leader Jesse Jackson. Johnson was buried in Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago.
In 2010, a public charter high school in Chicago was named Johnson College Prep High School in honor of John and his wife Eunice. On January 31, 2012, the United States Postal Service honored John H. Johnson with a commemorative stamp. This stamp was part of its Black Heritage Series. In 2013, Johnson was inducted into the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame.
In 2019, the Arkansas Legislature created John H. Johnson Day. This day pays tribute to his legacy and supports a museum in his childhood home in Arkansas City. November 1 was suggested as the date for this holiday, as it was the day the first issue of Ebony was published.
See also
