JOAN JOHNSON

CO-FOUNDER, JOHNSON PRODUCTS

With an initial investment of just $250, she co-founded Johnson Products Co., with her husband, George. The pioneering black haircare company that developed iconic products such as Ultra Sheen and Afro Sheen grew into a multimillion-dollar BE 100S powerhouse and made history as the first black-owned company traded on the American Stock Exchange (now known as NYSE American) when it went public in 1971. After gaining roughly 60% of the company stock as part of a sealed divorce agreement in 1989, Johnson became the first black woman to control a publicly traded company on a major stock exchange. (She eventually sold the company and reconciled with her husband.) An advocate for black female advancement, the late Johnson was a trustee of Spelman College and her family continues her legacy with her annual scholarship.

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