Legacy of George E. Johnson Sr., Pioneer in Black-Owned Business
George E. Johnson Sr., a former chemist, who founded Johnson Products Co., the largest producer of cosmetics and hair products for African Americans, passed away at his Chicago home on Monday. According to a statement by the Johnson family, Johnson was a longtime resident of Water Tower Place in the Gold Coast and previously lived in Glencoe.
Johnson significantly impacted Black Americans post-World War II both through his diverse product offerings, which included Afro Sheen and Ultra Sheen, and his sponsorship of the TV dance program “Soul Train.” Founded in 1954, Johnson Products sold to a white-run firm in 1993, illustrating the potential for Black business leaders to establish successful enterprises.
Born in Richton, Mississippi in 1927, Johnson moved to Chicago at two years old. He was industrious from a young age, working various jobs such as delivering newspapers and shining shoes. Johnson left Wendell Phillips High School as a junior to become a door-to-door salesman for Fuller Products, a Black-owned enterprise. His work there as head production chemist equipped him with valuable skills.
After ten years, Johnson pursued his own venture, driven by a hair straightening formula developed for a stylist catering to stars like Nat King Cole. The success of this formula inspired the founding of Johnson Products with a $250 loan. The company launched its first product, Ultra Wave Hair Culture, from a friend’s store back room.
By 1958, Johnson Products expanded its product line to include items for women. The enterprise moved to larger premises, and in 1964, reached $1 million in annual revenue. Further growth followed with the launch of Afro Sheen and other products, generating $37 million in revenue by 1975. Johnson Products became the first Black-owned company to go public on the American Stock Exchange in 1971.
Johnson’s sponsorship of “Soul Train” boosted the show’s popularity and gave his company greater exposure. The firm faced challenges from competitors and scrutiny from the Federal Trade Commission regarding product labeling requirements. Despite compliance, these challenges affected consumer perceptions negatively.
In 1985, Johnson Products secured endorsement deals with basketball player Michael Jordan and his mother, Deloris. Johnson exited as chairman and CEO in 1989, after legal and personal shifts, including a divorce that led to the sale of the company in 1993. Ivax Corp bought Johnson Products, which later changed hands multiple times before returning to Black ownership in 2009.
Beyond his company, Johnson founded Independence Bank in 1964 and served on various boards, including Commonwealth Edison and the U.S. Postal Service. Married to Renee Derem briefly in the 1990s, Johnson remarried his first wife, who passed away in 2019. He is survived by his third wife Madeline Murphy Rabb, his four children, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Services are pending for George E. Johnson Sr.