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Ebony Magazine Founder John Johnson Dead

John H. Johnson

John H. Johnson 87, the founder of Jet and Ebony magazine died of heart failure on Monday, August 8, 2005. Johnson is the founder of Johnson Publishing Company, Inc., the biggest Black publishing company in America which he started in 1942. He was born on January 19, 1918 in rural Arkansas City, Arkansas. Ebony is the nation's number one African-American oriented magazine with a circulation of 1.7 million and a monthly readership of 11 million.

"He was the greatest salesman and CEO I have ever known, but he was also a father, friend and mentor with a great sense of humor who never stopped climbing mountains and dreaming dreams." His daughter, Linda Johnson Rice said.

Johnson’s life has served as a great inspiration for many black entrepreneurs myself included.

I remember reading Johnson biography when I was a teen and be so impressed with his accomplishments.

He was the first black person on the Forbes Magazine 400 list of the wealthiest Americans.

"He made groundbreaking strides with his magazines and was an inspiration to all of us in the business," Edward Lewis publisher of Essence Magazine told the Chicago Defender. "He was one of the most candid and unvarnished businessmen I have ever encountered in my 37 years in media. His legacy will continue under the leadership of his daughter, Linda Johnson Rice. The death of John H. Johnson is a tremendous loss to the publishing world."

Robert Johnson, founder/chairman of Black Entertainment Television, called John H. Johnson "one of the greatest American businessmen of all times. What John H. Johnson achieved against seemingly insurmountable odds of race discrimination and economic segregation is a testament to his courage, his vision and his unparalleled entrepreneurial genius," he said in a statement.

"Black America has lost a leader who gave us all a voice and a positive self-image in Ebony and Jet and we will miss him greatly. On behalf of everyone at BET, I express my sincere condolences to his family and his employees."