The first black billionaire is always assumed to be Oprah Winfrey because of her fame and popularity , but truthfully the first black billionaire was a man by the name of Robert Johnson. He obtained the title of the first black billionaire by owning a company known as Black entertainment Television (BET) a cable television channel company that is dedicated to black music and shows. This company was bought out by Viacom in 1998 for about 3 billion dollars. Robert Johnson had 68% stake in the company making him the first black African American billionaire after taxes of course
He was also the rich the richest black billionaire for some time until he had a divorce with his wife Sheila Johnson which also can be said as the first female black billionaire before Oprah Winfrey. Today He is 61 years old and just recently got his net worth above the billion dollar mark barely missing Forbes 400 list of billionaires which the minimum of making it on the list is 1.3 billion dollars.
Who was the first black billionaire?
Saturday, December 15, 2007 by Credit Card Toplist
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6 comments:
Well I was taught that Reginald F. Lewis was the First Black Billionaire. He own TLC Beatrice International (owner of tropicana, etc.)
I too thought Reginald Fitzgerald Lewis was the first Black billionaire since TLC Beatrice International was a major food conglomerate that owned an artificial sweetner company, tropicana, ice cream etc.
You guys are correct. Reginald Lewis was the first black billionaire. Johnson and other blacks, owner of Ebony, Jet, didnt like Lewis's style because he would not be "in their club". So they didnt give him any press for his accomplishments. They heaped it all on Johnson. Real black business people know that Reginald Lewis was the first black billionaire.
THE TRUTH NEVER NEEDS ANY HELP THE PREVIOUS COMMENTS ARE TRUE. SO GIVE HIM HIS RECOGNITION HE DESERVES IT.
He wasnt either.. There was a black man in the 1800s that was.. Cant remember his name but it was in "little black known history facts"
I read that Alonzo Herndon of Atlanta Ga was the first black billionaire by establishing his own life insurance business and investing Real Estate.
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