July 6, 2026
Johnson died of pure causes at his downtown Chicago condominium, in accordance with his son, John Edward Johnson, who confirmed his father’s demise
George E. Johnson, whose Johnson Merchandise Co. grew to become the first Black-owned firm listed on the American Inventory Trade and helped remodel the Black hair care trade, died July 6 in Chicago. He was 99, the Chicago Solar-Occasions studies.
George died of pure causes at his downtown Chicago condominium, in accordance with his son John Edward Johnson, who confirmed his father’s demise to the outlet.
“I believe his legacy as a businessman and philanthropist speaks for itself,” John stated.
George based Johnson Merchandise in 1954 after working for the Black-owned cosmetics firm S.B. Fuller. The Chicago-based firm developed hair care merchandise particularly for Black customers, together with Extremely Sheen, Elegant Curl, Curly Perm, and Afro Sheen.
In 1971, Johnson Merchandise grew to become the primary Black-owned enterprise to commerce on the American Inventory Trade, marking a milestone for Black entrepreneurship in the USA.
The corporate additionally grew to become recognized for pioneering advertising methods aimed toward Black customers. It was the primary Black-owned firm to sponsor the nationally syndicated tv program Soul Practice, serving to develop each the model’s nationwide visibility and the present’s cultural attain.
Born in a sharecropper’s shack in Richton, Mississippi, George moved to Chicago together with his mom in 1929. He labored a sequence of jobs as a toddler earlier than leaving highschool to help his household. At age 17, he joined S.B. Fuller, the place his expertise in gross sales and product improvement laid the inspiration for launching his personal firm a decade later.
George remained energetic in enterprise and philanthropy all through his life, supporting instructional initiatives and civic organizations whereas mentoring generations of entrepreneurs. In 2025, he printed his memoir, Afro Sheen: How I Revolutionized an Business with the Golden Rule, from Soul Practice to Wall Road, chronicling the corporate’s rise and his philosophy of management and repair.
Reflecting on the rules that formed his profession, the enterprise pioneer stated in a 2025 interview, “While you assist individuals, individuals will provide help to. And when you serve them properly, they’re going to make what you are promoting profitable.”
George’s legacy endures by means of the boundaries he broke in American enterprise, his affect on the Black magnificence trade, and the alternatives he created for future generations of Black entrepreneurs.
