Afro Sheen: How I Revolutionized an Industry with the Golden Rule, from Soul Train to Wall Street (Hardcover)
by George E. Johnson
Description
You might already be familiar with Afro Sheen and Ultra Sheen, but have you heard of the man behind the company that produced these products? In Afro Sheen, George Ellis Johnson, the acclaimed self-made businessman, reveals his inspiring and captivating rise from humble beginnings to the top of the haircare industry.
.
At just twenty-seven years old, Johnson created the Johnson Products Company. JPC was the first Black-owned company to trade on a major stock exchange, became the financial sponsor of Soul Train, and was once considered the largest Black-owned manufacturing company in the world. At the height of its success, JPC was worth $37 million (over $225 million today).
.
In this coming-of-age story, Johnson uses the life skills and strong character built from working odd jobs as a teenager and practicing the Golden Rule to create a business that both nurtures and advances the Black community. Without a formal education, he filled a gap in the Black haircare industry and created a high-quality formula for straightening hair and the iconic Ultra Sheen and Afro Sheen products that supported Black people in expressing their authentic beauty. For decades, Johnson has been an inspiration to Black entrepreneurs, setting an example of Black wealth and providing a safe space for Black people to work.
.
Afro Sheen is a timely, impassioned look at both an industry and cultural moment. Johnson's impact is finally on full display, as he brilliantly highlights how having perseverance and a daring vision can create both change and a lasting legacy.
About the Author
George Ellis Johnson is the founder of the Johnson Products Company, the maker of Ultra Sheen and Afro Sheen, the first Black-owned company to trade on a major stock exchange, the financial sponsor of Soul Train, and once likely the largest Black-owned manufacturing company in the world.
Known for his generosity around Chicago and nationally, Johnson has received numerous honors for the philanthropic contributions of the George E. Johnson Foundation and the George E. Johnson Educational Fund, which awarded more than 1000 college scholarships.
In 1964, he co-founded Independence Bank, the first Black-owned financial institution to operate in Chicago in more than 30 years after the Great Depression, and became its chairman. He served on the boards of the Chicago Urban League, Commonwealth Edison, Lyric Opera of Chicago, MetLife, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University, and Operation PUSH.
The recipient of nine honorary doctorate degrees, including several from HBCUs, Johnson received the Harvard Medal, Stanford Graduate School of Business's Marketing Man of the Year recognition, and Chicago Mayor Harold Washington's Lifetime Achievement Award.
Product Details
Category: Memoir, Business
Language: English
Format/Binding: Hardcover
Book Condition: New
ISBN-10: 0316577340
ISBN-13: 978-0316577342
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Date Published: February 04, 2025
Pages: 320
Terms of Sale
All book sales are final. No returns or exchanges.
Purchaser will receive a new book that has never been read.
The book will be shipped within 7 to 10 business days of receipt of order via a major mail carrier (USPS, UPS, FedEX, or DHL) and may take up to 14 days to arrive depending on the carrier and destination.
International shipping is also available.