George E. Johnson Dies at 99, Leaving Behind a Billion-Dollar Legacy in Black Hair Care

A Legacy of Innovation and Resilience

George E. Johnson, a visionary entrepreneur from Chicago, passed away on Monday at the age of 99. His eponymous company, Johnson Products Company, played a pivotal role in transforming the Black hair care industry in the United States with iconic brands like Afro Sheen, Ultra Wave, and Classy Curl. His journey from humble beginnings to becoming a trailblazer in business is a testament to his determination and innovative spirit.

Born in a sharecropper’s shack in Mississippi, Johnson moved to Chicago with his mother when he was just two years old. He spent his later years in a downtown Chicago condo, where he passed away due to natural causes, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. The New York Times cited his second wife, Madeline Murphy Rabb, who mentioned that he died of a respiratory illness.

Founded in 1954, the Johnson Products Company catered to the evolving tastes of African Americans in hairstyles, fashion, and cosmetics during a time when U.S. companies largely ignored Black consumers. Johnson co-founded the business with his first wife, Joan Johnson, who passed away in 2019. By 1960, the company had captured nearly 80% of the Black hair care market, and in 1971, it became the first Black-owned company listed on the American Stock Exchange, now known as NYSE American.

Marketing and Cultural Impact

The company’s marketing strategies resonated with the Black Pride and Black Power movements of the era. It became the exclusive sponsor of “Soul Train,” a television music show that grew from a local broadcast to a nationally syndicated hit. This partnership helped elevate the brand and solidify its place in popular culture.

Johnson’s entrepreneurial journey was not without challenges. Starting as a door-to-door cosmetics salesman after dropping out of high school, he faced significant obstacles. To secure a bank loan of $250, he told a white loan officer that he needed the money for a family vacation. The first bank he approached rejected his application for a business loan, according to the Chicago Sun-Times and BlackPast.org. In his 2025 memoir, “Afro Sheen,” Johnson reflected on this experience, stating that he knew the request for a vacation loan would not challenge the loan officer’s beliefs about his superiority or stereotypes about Black men.

Adapting to Changing Trends

Initially, the company introduced products like Ultra Wave for men and Ultra Sheen for women, which were hair-relaxing products designed for home use to achieve straight and wavy hair styles popular in the 1950s and early 1960s. As Black Power consciousness grew, there was an increasing preference for natural hair textures. In response, Johnson’s company adapted with the Afro Sheen Blow Out kit in the late 1960s.

The company also introduced the Classy Curl, which helped consumers achieve the “Jheri curl” perm, a style first popularized by white hairdresser-chemist Jheri Redding. Despite these innovations, Johnson’s venture faced competition from large hair care and cosmetics companies such as Revlon, which sought to capture market share in the growing African American hairstyling business.

Ownership Changes and Legacy

After the Johnsons divorced, ownership of their business changed hands multiple times before a majority African American investment firm acquired the business in 2009 from Procter & Gamble. George E. Johnson’s legacy continues to inspire future generations of entrepreneurs, particularly within the African American community.