George E. Johnson., founder of Johnson Products Company and a pioneer of Black-owned beauty brands, has joined the ancestors.
Johnson passed away at 99 at his home in Chicago, leaving behind a legacy that helped shape Black beauty, Black business, and Black culture for generations.
In 1954, Johnson and his wife, Joan, founded Johnson Products Company on Chicago’s South Side with a $250 loan. What started as a small business grew into a beauty empire created with Black consumers in mind.
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Through Johnson Products, he helped change what Black hair care could look like. The company introduced Ultra Sheen, a hair care line that became a staple for generations of Black women and beauty salons. Later, as the Afro became a symbol of Black pride, Johnson Products launched Afro Sheen and helped make natural hair part of a larger cultural movement.
The company’s impact reached far beyond store shelves. Johnson Products became a major sponsor of Soul Train, helping bring Black music, dance, fashion, and beauty into homes across the country.
In 1971, Johnson Products made history as the first Black-owned company listed on the American Stock Exchange, a major moment for Black entrepreneurship and corporate power.
In his later years, Johnson shared more of his story through his memoir, Afro Sheen: How I Revolutionized an Industry with the Golden Rule, from Soul Train to Wall Street, reflecting on how he built a Black beauty empire from Chicago to Wall Street.
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Through his products, his business, and his belief in the power of Black beauty, Johnson created space for Black hair to be seen, respected, and celebrated.
Rest in power, Mr. Johnson. Thank you for the blueprint and the legacy you shared with us.
