News
Afro Sheen Founder George E. Johnson Has Passed Away
The Black beauty pioneer and his empire once controlled 80% of the Black haircare market.
George E. Johnson, pioneering entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of Johnson Products Company, has died at the age of 99.
Johnson changed the Black beauty industry when he and his wife, Joan Johnson, founded Johnson Products Company in 1954. The company introduced iconic brands including Ultra Sheen and Afro Sheen, helping redefine how Black hair was seen, celebrated, and cared for.
In 1971, Johnson Products became the first Black-owned company listed on a major American stock exchange, marking a historic milestone for Black-owned businesses. Johnson’s journey was as remarkable as the company he built.
Born in a sharecropper’s shack in Mississippi, he moved to Chicago as a child and left school before graduating high school. According to The New York Times, he began his career selling products door-to-door for Black cosmetics pioneer Samuel B. Fuller before developing his own hair care innovations and launching Johnson Products with just $250 in startup capital.
By the 1960s, Johnson Products controlled an estimated 80% of the Black haircare market, making Johnson one of the nation’s wealthiest African American entrepreneurs at a time when few Black-owned companies had access to corporate America or Wall Street.
Beyond beauty, Johnson invested heavily in the Black community through scholarships, entrepreneurship initiatives, and support for Black-owned media.
Johnson Products also became the first Black-controlled company to sponsor a nationally televised program as one of the earliest sponsors of Soul Train, helping bring one of the most influential celebrations of Black music, fashion, and culture into homes across America for decades.
Last year, Johnson published his memoir, Afro Sheen: How I Revolutionized an Industry with the Golden Rule, From “Soul Train” to Wall Street, chronicling the remarkable journey from humble beginnings to building one of the most influential Black-owned businesses in American history.
Johnson’s impact reaches far beyond the products he created. He laid the foundation for Black entrepreneurs and demonstrated that Black-owned businesses could thrive on a national stage while reinvesting in the communities they served. His legacy lives on in brand founders today who continue to reshape the beauty industry.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and all those whose lives were touched by his extraordinary legacy.
