He was the first African-American to appear on the Forbes 400 - FRONT TO BLACK HISTORY

In celebration of Black History Month, THE SCHOOL BELL with Linda Bell presents...FRONT TO BLACK HISTORY - a look at black firsts in business.

In 1982, this businessman and publisher became the first African American to appear on the Forbes 400. Do you know who he is?

Unable to secure a loan from a bank due to his skin color, Johnson (who grew up from poverty) used his mother’s furniture as collateral to raise $500 to launch the Johnson Publishing Company - publisher of 'Ebony' and 'Jet' magazines. His empire grew to include ventures in book publishing, cosmetics and radio. Click on his picture to read more about him. (Content courtesy of Biography.com.)

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