John Johnson remembered with Lifetime Achievement Award at Black Press All Star Awards
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(BlackPressMagazine.com) - August 8, 2005 - John H. Johnson, founder, publisher and chairman of Johnson Publishing Company, Inc., died today in Chicago at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He was 87.
Johnson was the founder of a major international media and cosmetics empire that includes EBONY and JET magazines, Fashion Fair Cosmetics and EBONY Fashion Fair. It is the No. 1 African-American publishing company in the world founded in 1942.
Mr. Johnson borrowed $500 on his mother’s furniture and created a publishing and cosmetics empire is credited as one of the major trailblazers and he is recognized as the founder of the African-American consumer market. The founder and publisher succumbed after an extended illness on the 60th anniversary of EBONY magazine, which, under his leadership, has been the biggest Black-owned magazine in the world for 60 straight years.
In 2002, Johnson named Linda Johnson Rice, the chief operating officer, CEO of the company, but retained the title of chairman and publisher until his death.
Rice said her father was active in company affairs. "He was in his office and alert and active until the end. He was the greatest salesman and CEO I have ever known, but he was also a father, friend and mentor with a great sense of humor who never stopped climbing mountains and dreaming dreams."
"We've known for years how dangerous it is to tell Black America's story. newspapers like the Birmingham Times were fire bombed, journalists have been tortured and worse. In 1827, even before slaves were freed, they somehow learned to read, write, publish and distribute a newspaper - the Freedom's Journal," said Livers.
"It's clear that to some, nothing is more dangerous than giving Black people the truth. That's why Chauncey Bailey was killed and many more before him. We have to remember our fallen heroes because their story - like all stories - must be told," said Livers.
Other winners included 2007 winners the late Gordon Parks, Black Author of the Year: K'wan Foye, Black Photographer of the Year, Harlee Little, "Best Black Magazine" winner Black Enterprise and "Best Black Newspaper" winner Philadelphia Tribune. To see the full list of winners click the PDF icon. To hear interviews and award ceremonies with winners, visit http://www.blackpressradio.com and enter keyword: "Who's Who."
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DC Livers will hold a Start Your Own Hip Hop Publication Workshop on Friday, December 8, 2007 in New York City.
Black Press Magazine has also interviewed Carl West for the State of Hip Hop: The Podcast and filmmaker Camille Holder Brown, a former Spike Lee intern who recently won the Paul Robeson Award and Janaya Black who was one of the original members of BET's Teen Summit Posse as part of its series on hip hop film and entertainment.
LISTEN to the podcasts from the Hip Hop Journalism Summit and Black Press All Star Awards
Black Press will conduct pre-, during and post-event podcast interviews, write articles from the 3rd Annual Black Press All Star Awards event were held on Sept. 14-15, 2007 and help promote the event as part of the media sponsorship commitment. The 4th annual Black Press All Star Awards is currently accepting application for individuals who want to be apart of the panels, sponsorship list or judging selection committee to help determine the winners among the submissions comprised of newspapers, magazines, websites, publicists, authors and others in the Black media industry. The event will be Sept. 19-20, 2008. To be considered, send your bio, weblink and photo to [email protected]
EXCLUSIVE: View the 3rd Annual All Stars Wrap-up now
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