George E. Johnson Sr., a pioneer in Black hair care whose multimillion-dollar business was the first Black-owned company to be listed on the American Stock Exchange, has died at age 99, according to his family.
Johnson died Monday at his home in downtown Chicago. A cause of death was not released.
Johnson and his late wife and high school sweetheart, Joan, started Johnson Products Company in 1954 on Chicago’s South Side after securing a $250 loan. It grew into a hair care empire catering almost exclusively to Black people, with brands like Afro Sheen and Ultra Sheen.