Building a Voice: John Johnson Gets His Start
Building a Voice: John Johnson Gets His Start
John Harold Johnson was born on January 19, 1918 in Arkansas City, Arkansas. From an early age, Johnson learned what it was to overcome obstacles in life. When he was just eight years old, his father, Leroy Johnson, was killed in a sawmill accident. Johnson’s mother, Gertrude Jenkins, took over as the central force in his life. Despite the tragedy, Gertrude was determined to see her son succeed.
The town where Johnson was born offered little in the way of opportunities for young black children. There were no high schools and Johnson was forced to repeat grade eight in order to just keep learning. Unsatisfied with her son’s prospects, Gertrude moved the family to Chicago after working as a camp cook for two years in order to save enough money for the train ride. But, it would not be an easy road ahead for the family.
The family arrived in Chicago in the middle of the Great Depression and they were forced to rely on welfare for two years. This was a character-shaping experience for Johnson. “Both my mother and I were determined that we weren’t going to stay on welfare,” he said. “We always worked toward doing better, toward having a better life. We never had any doubts that we would”
Living with family friends in their new city, Johnson enrolled in Wendell Phillips High School and later, DuSable High School. Here, he flourished, becoming junior and senior class president, editor of the school newspaper, presiding officer of the student council, and leader of the student forum and French club. Because of his achievements, Johnson was selected to speak at his class graduation.
After finishing high school in just three years, Johnson found himself unemployed. It was an Urban League Luncheon for outstanding students that would change the course of Johnson’s life. Here, at the age of 18, Johnson met Harry H. Pace, the president of Supreme Liberty Life Insurance Co., the largest black-owned business in the North at the time. When Pace heard about Johnson’s desire to attend university but his inability to do so because of the high cost of tuition, Pace hired Johnson part-time. While working at Supreme, Johnson also enrolled part-time at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University.
In his autobiography, Johnson highlights the importance of this meeting: “Somebody asked me once what I would change if I could live my life over again. I replied that I wouldn't change anything. So many things happened along the way, maybe by accident, maybe by Providence, that I would be afraid to change any of the events that led to the meeting with Harry H. Pace and the big ebony road that changed and defined my life.”
Johnson quickly rose in the company’s ranks to become the editor of the company newspaper. One of his other major duties was to prepare a summary of black-related current events for the Pace to keep him abreast of the changing times. It was this experience that would give him the idea and the confidence to start his own business.
Building a Voice John Johnson Gets His Start
Like this article? Share it with your friends
John H. Johnson went from living on welfare to living in extreme wealth, becoming the first African American to make it onto the Forbes 400 list of the nation’s richest individuals. By the time he died in 2005, his empire was worth an estimated $600 million. Not only did he amass great wealth, but he also gave African Americans a voice at a time when they were both relatively invisible and discriminated against in the mainstream culture.
John Harold Johnson was born on January 19, 1918 in Arkansas City, Arkansas. From an early age, Johnson learned what it was to overcome obstacles in life. When he was just eight years old, his father, Leroy Johnson, was killed in a sawmill accident. Johnson’s mother, Gertrude Jenkins, took over as the central force in his life. Despite the tragedy, Gertrude was determined to see her son succeed.
The town where Johnson was born offered little in the way of opportunities for young black children. There were no high schools and Johnson was forced to repeat grade eight in order to just keep learning. Unsatisfied with her son’s prospects, Gertrude moved the family to Chicago after working as a camp cook for two years in order to save enough money for the train ride. But, it would not be an easy road ahead for the family.
The family arrived in Chicago in the middle of the Great Depression and they were forced to rely on welfare for two years. This was a character-shaping experience for Johnson. “Both my mother and I were determined that we weren’t going to stay on welfare,” he said. “We always worked toward doing better, toward having a better life. We never had any doubts that we would”
Living with family friends in their new city, Johnson enrolled in Wendell Phillips High School and later, DuSable High School. Here, he flourished, becoming junior and senior class president, editor of the school newspaper, presiding officer of the student council, and leader of the student forum and French club. Because of his achievements, Johnson was selected to speak at his class graduation.
After finishing high school in just three years, Johnson found himself unemployed. It was an Urban League Luncheon for outstanding students that would change the course of Johnson’s life. Here, at the age of 18, Johnson met Harry H. Pace, the president of Supreme Liberty Life Insurance Co., the largest black-owned business in the North at the time. When Pace heard about Johnson’s desire to attend university but his inability to do so because of the high cost of tuition, Pace hired Johnson part-time. While working at Supreme, Johnson also enrolled part-time at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University.
In his autobiography, Johnson highlights the importance of this meeting: “Somebody asked me once what I would change if I could live my life over again. I replied that I wouldn't change anything. So many things happened along the way, maybe by accident, maybe by Providence, that I would be afraid to change any of the events that led to the meeting with Harry H. Pace and the big ebony road that changed and defined my life.”
Johnson quickly rose in the company’s ranks to become the editor of the company newspaper. One of his other major duties was to prepare a summary of black-related current events for the Pace to keep him abreast of the changing times. It was this experience that would give him the idea and the confidence to start his own business.
Building a Voice John Johnson Gets His Start
Like this article? Share it with your friends
![]() | |
| |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
|
| |
| |||
George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
|||
John AlexanderJohn has taught keyword research and SEO skills to small groups of business owners and Webmasters from over 80 different countries world wide since 2002. John is also the Director of Search Engine Academy ; Co-director of Training at Search Engine Workshops offering live, SEO Workshops with his partner SEO educator Robin Nobles, author of the very first comprehensive online search engine marketing courses at SEO Training Online and the SEO Workshop Resource Center. I look forward to hearing from you! - Visit John Alexander's Website |
|||
Staging DivaDebra Gould, aka The Staging Diva®, is President of Six Elements Inc., an internationally recognized home staging company. Inspired by many requests from aspiring home stagers wanting to start similar businesses, Gould created the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. Gould has trained over 1000 Staging Diva Graduates worldwide to start staging businesses. Buying decorating and selling six of her own homes in four years lead to an interest in real estate staging which she turned into a career with the launch of sixelements.com in 2002. Since then she has staged hundreds of homes in addition to teaching home staging training. Gould is the author of several home staging resources including a series of popular ebooks made up of a Design Guide, Color Guide and Portfolio Guide. For more information about Debra Gould visit stagingdiva.com. - Visit Staging Diva's Website |
|||
John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
|||
John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
|||
Joe DagerJoe Dager is President of Business901, a progressive coaching company providing no-nonsense direction in areas such as Lean Six Sigma Marketing and organized referral marketing. What others say: In the past 20 years, Joe and I have collaborated on many difficult issues. Joe’s ability to combine his expertise with “out of the box” thinking is unsurpassed. He has always delivered quickly, cost effectively and with ingenuity. A brilliant mind that is always a pleasure to work with.” - James R. If you want to learn more about Business901, start a conversation with us. We can be found @ Web/Blog: Business901.com Web/Blog: FundingYourNonprofit.com LinkedIn Profile Follow me on Twitter - Visit Joe Dager's Website |
|||
Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
|||
Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
|
![]() | ||
|
| ||
![]() |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
![]() |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
![]() |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
![]() |
|
|
![]() | ||
|
The Top 10 GTD Times Posts
Best Posts for Productivity | ||
|
Top 50 SEO Posts - 2007
Top SEO Posts of the Year | ||
![]() | ||
![]() | ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||





















