Black Billionaires 2007

Forbes magazine has released it's annual ranking of the world's richest people. The Forbes world's billionaires list consist of 946 billionaires, whose combined net worth climbed by $900 billion to $3.5 trillion. This years list includes 178 newcomers and 17 people who climbed back into the ranks after being absent for a year or more. Two-thirds of last year's billionaires are richer. Only 17% are poorer, including 32 who fell below the billion-dollar mark.

Bill Gates, the worlds richest person for the past 13 years, saw his net worth claim to $56 billion and his pal Warren Buffett, who holds the No. 2 spot despite enormous charitable donations is still worth $52 billion. Mexico's Carlos Slim Helu saw his net worth grow by $19 billion in one year to $49 billion, locking down the #3 spot on the list.

There are only three blacks on the list again this year, #840 Robert Johnson, #664 Oprah Winfrey and #618 Michael Lee-Chin.

After being absent from the Forbes billionaires list for 2 years, 60 year old Robert Johnson, who became America's first African-American billionaire in 2001, cliamed back into this years billionaire rank with a net worth of $1.1 billion. Winfrey who opened her $40 million Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa in January, continues to rule daytime television. 53 year old Winfrey also branched out, producing the Broadway hit, The Color Purple and with her new network, Oprah & Friends, which debuted last year on XM Radio. Her net worth is estimated at $1.5 billion. 56 year old Michael Lee-Chin remains the richest black person on the planet with a net worth of $1.6 billion. Lee-Chin stepped down as chief executive of the company he acquired in 1987 but remains chairman. His AIC mutual funds saw assets under management decline 19.8% last year due to lackluster fund performance. The Jamaica native also owns stakes in National Commercial Bank Jamaica, Total Finance in Trinidad and Tobago, and Columbus Communications, a cable and communications company in Barbados. His personal real estate portfolio includes 250 acres of beachfront property in Ocho Rios, Jamaica and homes in Canada and Florida.