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Pioneering Founder of ‘Afro Sheen,’ George Johnson, to Release Memoir at 97 Years Old

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November 1, 2024

His story will finally be told!

George E. Johnson is a pioneering businessman and the founder of Afro Sheen, a legendary haircare product he and his late wife Joan created under their famed Johnson Products brand. The Johnsons’ company began in Chicago with just $250 in 1954 and grew to become the world’s largest black-owned business. They were a staple in the community, becoming the first to sponsor the iconic variety show Soul Train and the first Black-owned company to be traded on the American Stock Exchange. 

Now, at 97 years old, Mr. Johnson is set to release a memoir about his life entitled “Afro Sheen: How I Revolutionized an Industry with the Golden Rule, from Soul Train to Wall Street,” ABC News reports. The book chronicles Johnson’s life and role as a business trailblazer. Hilary Beard worked with Johnson as author and editor of the memoir. The elder says he didn’t think to write a book about his life until a few years ago. 

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“I had an epiphany on Sunday morning, November 21, 2021. 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,” Johnson said via statement. 

Johnson’s late wife and co-founder, Joan, passed away in 2019. Their son Eric Johnson called her a true pioneer. 

“My dad could come up with brand names and products, and [my mom] brought the culture of integrity to the company. People had a great deal of confidence in her ability to make the company successful…Because of her, people have been able to accomplish things they maybe didn’t think they could, and they knew all the things they had to strive for,” Eric previously told reporters. 

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The Johnson patriarch’s new memoir, “Afro Sheen: How I Revolutionized an Industry with the Golden Rule, from Soul Train to Wall Street,” will be published by Little, Brown and Company on February 4th, 2025. 

Cover photo: Pioneering Founder of Afro Sheen, George Johnson, to Release Memoir at 97 Years Old/Photo credit: Getty Images/Inc.com

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