At age 97, pioneering Black businessman George E. Johnson has finally written his memoir

By The Associated Press on October 30, 2024.

NEW YORK (AP) – As he approached his mid-90s, pioneering Black businessman George E. Johnson unexpectedly found himself determined – even called – to write his memoir.

Johnson’s “Afro Sheen: How I Revolutionized an Industry with the Golden Rule, from Soul Train to Wall Street” will be published Feb. 3 by Little, Brown and Company. The book’s title is named for one of the most memorable consumer items his Johnson Products Company developed. Founded in 1954, Johnson Products was the first Black-owned company to be listed on the American Stock Exchange and was also known for sponsoring the popular 1970s music show “Soul Train.”

Johnson, 97, worked on “Afro Sheen” with the author-editor Hilary Beard. He hadn’t thought of writing a book until three years ago.

“I had an epiphany on Sunday morning, November 21, 2021,” he said in a statement released Wednesday by Little, Brown. “In that experience, I clearly heard five words: “˜You must tell your story.’ I believed it was the voice of the Lord. I made a 180 degree turn and immediately sought a writer.”

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