Johnson, George E.
1927–2017 · Contribution: 1954
Entrepreneur
Founder of Johnson Products Company and creator of the Ultra Sheen and Afro Sheen Black hair-care lines; built the first Black-owned company listed on the American Stock Exchange (1971)

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Quick facts
- Born
- 1927–2017
- Category
- Business & Misc.
Impact on the world
Johnson turned a $250 loan into the largest Black-owned corporation of its era and the first to trade on a major U.S. exchange, paired it with the nation's largest Black-owned bank, and created products that let Black beauty define itself on its own terms.
Sources
- Chicago Sun-Times
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