Robert L. Johnson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert L. Johnson
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Johnson in 2018
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Robert Louis Johnson
April 8, 1946 Hickory, Mississippi, U.S.
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| Alma mater | University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (BA) Princeton University (MPA) |
| Known for | Co-founder of BET |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2 |
Robert Louis Johnson (born April 8, 1946) is a successful American businessman and investor. He is famous for co-founding BET (Black Entertainment Television), a TV channel that was bought by Viacom in 2001. He also started RLJ Companies, a group that invests in many different types of businesses. Johnson used to own the Charlotte Bobcats basketball team (now called the Charlotte Hornets). In 2001, he made history by becoming the first African American billionaire. His companies have been some of the most important African American businesses in recent history.
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Robert Johnson's Early Life and School
Johnson was born in 1946 in Hickory, Mississippi. He was the ninth of ten children. His mother was a teacher, and his father was a farmer. When he was a child, his family moved to Freeport, Illinois. He was a very good student in high school.
Johnson graduated from the University of Illinois in 1968. He earned a bachelor's degree in social studies. While at the University of Illinois, Johnson joined the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. He later earned a master's degree in public affairs from Princeton University in 1972.
Robert Johnson's Career Journey
After finishing his studies at Princeton, Johnson found a job in Washington, D.C.. This job helped him learn about the television industry. He worked as the public affairs director for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. In this role, he saw how powerful television could be.
Around the same time, he also worked for the Washington, D.C. office of the National Urban League. Johnson also served as a press secretary for Congressman Walter E. Fauntroy. Later, he became a vice president at the National Cable and Television Association (NCTA). In 1980, Johnson launched Black Entertainment Television, which became a full TV channel in 1983.
Founding BET
Johnson left NCTA in 1979 to create Black Entertainment Television (BET). It was the first cable TV network made for African Americans. When BET first started in 1980, it only showed programs for two hours on Friday nights.
BET began to make money in 1985. In 1991, it became the first company controlled by African Americans to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1998, Johnson and Liberty Media bought all the remaining shares of the company. This made Johnson own 42% of BET.
Viacom bought BET in 2001 for about $3 billion. Johnson earned over $1 billion from this sale. This made him the first African American billionaire. He continued to be the CEO of BET until 2006.
The RLJ Companies
Johnson founded The RLJ Companies. This is a large company that owns many different businesses. These businesses include hotels, private investments, financial services, car dealerships, sports and entertainment, and gaming. The main office for The RLJ Companies is in Bethesda, Maryland.
By 2009, Johnson was also working on a new TV network called Urban TV. This network was also for African Americans. Johnson also founded Axiom Bank N.A. in Florida.
As of 2013, Johnson was on the board of directors for several companies and organizations. These included RLJ Lodging Trust, RLJ Entertainment, Inc., KB Home, Lowe's Companies, Inc., and the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture. He has also been on the boards of US Airways, Hilton Hotels, and General Mills.
Owning a Sports Team
In 2002, Johnson became the first African American to own a majority share of a major American sports team. He bought the Charlotte Bobcats basketball team. In 2010, Johnson sold his part of the Charlotte Bobcats to Michael Jordan.
Some people have said that Johnson named the Bobcats team after himself.
Partnership with AMC Networks
In 2014, Johnson launched his own video on demand streaming service called Urban Movie Channel. In 2016, he made a partnership with AMC Networks through his RLJ Company. This agreement meant that AMC would help promote Urban Movie Channel and Acorn.
The partnership also allowed for more money to be invested in shows and movies made by African American creators. AMC gave RLJ a $60 million loan. AMC also gained the option to buy more than 50% of the company in the future.
Giving Back: Philanthropy
In 2011, Johnson worked with actor Morgan Freeman to raise money. This money was used to help prepare for hurricanes in the Bahamas. In 2012, Johnson released a line of neckties called the RLJ Ella Rose Africa Tie Collection. The money from these ties went to a charity called Malaria No More.
In 2007, Johnson started the Liberia Enterprise Development Fund. He invested $30 million into this fund. This fund helps provide money for business owners in Liberia.
Political Involvement
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Role in the 2008 Election
During the 2008 election, Johnson supported Hillary Clinton for president. He was a "HillRaiser," meaning he helped raise a lot of money for her campaign. After she lost the primary election, Johnson asked members of the Congressional Black Caucus to encourage Barack Obama to choose Clinton as his running mate.
Political Views Since 2016
After Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election, Johnson met with him. Johnson said in an interview that he had known Trump for years. He encouraged African Americans to give Trump a chance.
Johnson believes that African American voters should not always support just one political party. He said that too much support for the Democratic Party can make their voting power weaker. In 2018, he said he turned down a job offer in the Trump Administration.
In 2019, Johnson praised Trump's economic policies. He said that Trump helped the economy grow, which benefited many Americans. He also said that tax cuts helped businesses. Johnson felt that the Democratic Party had moved too far to the left. He did not support a specific candidate in the 2020 Democratic primary.
In September 2020, during the 2020 general election, Johnson made comments that some people thought meant he preferred Trump to Joe Biden. However, he did not directly say he supported Trump. He stated, "I will take the devil I know over the devil I don't know anytime of the week."
Robert Johnson's Personal Life
Johnson married Sheila Johnson in 1969. They divorced in 2001 and have two children. Sheila Johnson is now the CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts.
Robert Johnson started dating Lauren Wooden in 2010. They got married in May 2016. They divorced in 2020.
See also
In Spanish: Robert L. Johnson para niños
