Full Breakdown
George E. Johnson, Black Hair-Care Pioneer, Dies at 99
7/7/2026, 9:48:06 PM
Death
George E. Johnson Sr., founder of Johnson Products, died on Monday, July 6, 2026, at his Chicago condo, 99. Madeline Murphy Rabb said he died of a respiratory illness; the family’s statement listed natural causes. Son John Edward Johnson confirmed the death.
Founding
Born in 1927 in Richton, Mississippi, Johnson moved to Chicago. After shining shoes, he left school to work for Fuller’s cosmetics firm. In 1954, with wife Joan, he founded Johnson Products, securing a $250 loan for a vacation. Ultra Wave, a men’s hair-relaxer, launched that year.
Milestones
Johnson introduced Ultra Sheen (1957) and Afro Sheen (late 1960s), capturing roughly 80 % of the Black hair-care market. In 1971 the firm became the first Black-owned listed on the American Stock Exchange and began sponsoring the TV show “Soul Train,” boosting Black cultural visibility.
Responses
The family described Johnson as “a visionary business leader who built a hair-care empire, broke barriers on Wall Street, and helped fuel the fight for civil rights.” Company releases noted his philanthropy and honors such as the American Black Achievement Award (1978) and Harvard Club Public Service Award (1979). Harvard Hutchins Center awarded him the W.E.B. Du Bois Medal in 2025.
Challenges
In 1975 FTC required a five-paragraph lye warning on Johnson’s relaxers, which Johnson said eroded consumer trust. Competition from brands in 1980s cut market share. After his 1989 divorce, he transferred control to ex-wife Joan, who sold the firm to Ivax Corp. in 1993—a sale Johnson called “the worst nightmare” because it ended Black ownership.
Conflicts
Sources differ on Johnson’s cause of death—some cite a respiratory illness, others list natural causes. The loan amount varies between $250 and $500. No public record resolves these discrepancies; detailed financial data after the 2009 Black-investor reacquisition remain limited.
Future
In 2009 an investment group repurchased Johnson Products from Procter & Gamble, restoring Black ownership. The former South Side plant now houses Perspectives Leadership Academy, a charter school. The brand continues to market Afro Sheen and Ultra Sheen, while the Johnson family maintains philanthropic work through the George E. Johnson Foundation.
Quotes
- “George was a visionary business leader who built a hair-care empire, broke barriers on Wall Street, and helped fuel the fight for civil rights.” — Family spokesperson, WGN/ABC News
- “I knew this request (for a vacation loan) wouldn't rattle [the loan officer's] belief that he was superior to me. Nor would it challenge his stereotypes of Black men as subservient or unintelligent.” — George E. Johnson, 2025 memoir *Afro Sheen*
- “Anyone given the same opportunities can get ahead. You just need the same mental attitude and motivation.” — George E. Johnson, Chicago Sun-Times, 1979
- “I think his legacy as a businessman and philanthropist speaks for itself.” — John Edward Johnson, son, Chicago Sun-Times
