How to Sell Anything - John Harold Johnson's Success Story

 

 

(January 19, 1918 – August 8, 2005)

 

Johnson was an American businessman and publisher. Johnson was the founder of the Johnson Publishing Company which is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Johnson's Ebony (1945) and Jet (1951–2014) magazines are among the most influential African-American businesses in media beginning in the second half of the twentieth century.

In 1982, Johnson became the first African American to appear on the Forbes 400. In 1987, Johnson was named Black Enterprise Entrepreneur of the year.

The articles in Ebony, which were designed to look like those in Life or Look magazines, emphasized the achievements of successful African Americans.

Photo essays about current events and articles about race relations were also included in the magazine.

Initially focused on the rich and famous in the African-American community, Johnson expanded the reporting to include issues such as "the white problem in America", African-American militancy, crimes by African Americans against African Americans, civil rights legislation, freedom rides and marches, and other aspects of segregation and discrimination.