Sheila Johnson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sheila Johnson
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Johnson in 2008
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Sheila Crump
January 25, 1949 McKeesport, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Education | University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (BA) |
| Known for | Co-founding BET |
| Title | Vice chairman, Monumental Sports & Entertainment |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2 |
Sheila Crump Johnson (born January 25, 1949) is a very successful American businesswoman. She helped start BET, a famous TV channel. She is also the CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts.
Sheila Johnson is a vice chairman and partner at Monumental Sports & Entertainment. This company manages well-known sports teams. These include the Washington Capitals (NHL hockey), the Washington Wizards (NBA basketball), and the Washington Mystics (WNBA basketball). She founded Salamander Hospitality in 2005. This company owns several beautiful resorts and hotels. Some of these are in Florida, South Carolina, Jamaica, and Virginia.
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Early Life
Sheila Johnson was born on January 25, 1949. Her birthplace was McKeesport, Pennsylvania. Her father was a brain surgeon, and her mother was an accountant. Sheila has a younger brother named George. Her family background includes Italian, German, and African American heritage.
She went to Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois. Later, she graduated from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Career Highlights
Starting BET
In 1979, Sheila Johnson and her first husband, Robert, started a cable TV channel. It was called Black Entertainment Network, or BET. This channel became very popular. In 1999, a large company called Viacom bought BET for $3 billion.
New Ventures
In 2002, Sheila sold her shares in BET. She used this money to invest in new businesses. These included hotels, real estate, and even horses. In 2005, she started her own company, Salamander Hotels and Resorts.
She also owns a major part of Monumental Sports & Entertainment. This company manages professional sports teams. These teams are the Washington Capitals (NHL), the Washington Wizards (NBA), and the Washington Mystics (WNBA).
Helping Others
Sheila Johnson is a Global Ambassador for CARE. This is a group that helps fight poverty around the world. She started a program called Sheila's I Am Powerful Challenge. This program helps women gain power to fight poverty. In 2007, it raised over $8 million.
She also leads the Board of Governors for Parsons The New School for Design in New York. She helped fund the Sheila C. Johnson Design Center there. This center has classrooms, public spaces, and art galleries. Sheila is also on the boards of other important groups. These include VH1's Save the Music Foundation and Americans for the Arts. She also supports education at the University of Virginia and the University of Illinois.
Film Projects
Sheila Johnson has also worked in film. Her first film was called Kicking It. It was shown at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival in Utah. She was also an executive producer for her second film, A Powerful Noise. This movie premiered at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
Personal Life
Sheila Johnson was married to Robert L. Johnson for 33 years, from 1969 to 2002. They have two children together.
On September 24, 2005, she married William T. Newman. He was a chief judge in Arlington County. He had overseen her divorce case in 2002. They had first met many years before when they acted in a play together.
In 2007, the Library of Virginia honored Sheila Johnson. They named her one of "Virginia Women in History." This was for her successful career and her contributions to society. In April 2021, Sheila Johnson and Washington Commanders team president, Jason Wright, created a group. It is called the Inclusive Growth Strategy Council. It works within the Greater Washington Partnership.
Awards and Honors
In 2012, Sheila Johnson received the Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal. This award honors people who have made the world a better place.
In 2018, she was given the Lincoln Medal by Ford's Theatre Society. This award goes to people whose work shows the strong character of Abraham Lincoln. The next year, in 2019, she received the Order of Lincoln award. This is the highest honor given by the State of Illinois. Also in 2019, the Women's Sports Foundation honored her. She received the Billie Jean King Leadership Award.
Books
Sheila Johnson wrote a book called Walk through Fire: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Triumph. It was published by Simon & Schuster in 2024.
See also
- List of speakers at The Economic Club of Washington, D.C.
