CHICAGO (AP) – George E. Johnson, who built one of the most successful Black-owned businesses in U.S. history through his hair care company, has died. He was 99.
Johnson died Monday of natural causes at his home in downtown Chicago, his son, John Edward Johnson, said.
Johnson founded Johnson Products Co. in 1954 after developing a hair straightener designed to avoid burning the scalp. He funded the startup with a small bank loan, which he obtained by telling the loan officer he needed the money for a vacation rather than revealing his business plans.
The company grew into a multimillion-dollar business and in 1971 became the first Black-owned company to trade on the American Stock Exchange. Its product lines, including Ultra Sheen and Afro Sheen, became widely used among Black consumers across the country.
Johnson Products’ advertising, created by Black-owned agencies, was known for depicting Black Americans in professional and family settings at a time when such portrayals were uncommon in mainstream media. The company also sponsored the television show “Soul Train.”
Johnson, a high school dropout who grew up poor on Chicago’s South Side, later gave millions of dollars to fund college scholarships for minority students.
He stepped down as chairman and CEO in 1988. The company changed hands multiple times in subsequent decades. Johnson published a memoir about his life and career in 2025.
He is survived by his wife, Madeline Murphy Rabb, four children and several grandchildren.
The Chicago Sun-Times contributed reporting. Featured Image Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago.
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