At age 97, pioneering Black businessman George E. Johnson has finally written his memoir

NEW YORK (AP) — As he approached his mid-90s, pioneering Black businessman George E. Johnson unexpectedly found himself determined — even called — to write his memoir.

Johnson’s “Afro Sheen: How I Revolutionized an Industry with the Golden Rule, from Soul Train to Wall Street” will be published Feb. 4 by Little, Brown and Company. The book’s title is named for one of the most memorable consumer items his Johnson Products Company developed. Founded in 1954, Johnson Products was the first Black-owned company to be listed on the American Stock Exchange and was also known for sponsoring the popular 1970s music show “Soul Train.”

Johnson, 97, worked on “Afro Sheen” with the author-editor Hilary Beard. He hadn’t thought of writing a book until three years ago.

“I had an epiphany on Sunday morning, November 21, 2021,” he said in a statement released Wednesday by Little, Brown. “In that experience, I clearly heard five words: ‘You must tell your story.’ I believed it was the voice of the Lord. I made a 180 degree turn and immediately sought a writer.”