Today In Black History: Sheila Johnson
Billionaire Entrepreneur and Co-founder of BET
Issue #805 Today In Black History, Wednesday, February 12, 2025
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Sheila Crump Johnson was born on January 25, 1949, in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, and raised in the culturally rich city of Chicago, Illinois. She graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in music education.
Johnson and her then-husband, Robert L. Johnson, co-founded Black Entertainment Television (BET) in 1980. BET became the first cable television network aimed at African American audiences, providing a platform to celebrate Black culture, art, and issue-centered programming.
After parting ways with BET, Sheila Johnson embarked on a series of successful ventures. She founded Salamander Hotels and Resorts, a luxury hotel chain, and Salamander Resort & Spa, located in Middleburg, Virginia, showing Johnson’s dedication to creating inclusive spaces that celebrate diversity.
Salamander's portfolio includes Reunion Resort in Reunion, Florida; The Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club, a 900-acre, 72-hole PGA tour golf course in Palm Harbor, Florida; Hotel Bennett in Charleston, South Carolina; Half Moon in Montego Bay, Jamaica; Aurora Anguilla in the British West Indies; and The Salamander Resort & Spa in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Middleburg, Virginia.
Johnson became the first African American to own three professional sports teams. She is a vice chairman and partner of Monumental Sports & Entertainment. This professional sports holding company also owns the NBA's Washington Wizards, the NHL's Washington Capitals, and the WNBA's Washington Mystics.
Sheila Johnson is also deeply committed to philanthropy and education. She has supported numerous initiatives to increase educational opportunities for underserved communities. Her work with organizations such as the Sheila C. Johnson Design Center at Parsons School of Design exemplifies her dedication to nurturing future generations of creative thinkers.
Furthermore, Johnson has advocated for women's rights and health issues. Her involvement with organizations like CARE and other humanitarian efforts showcases her commitment to addressing systemic inequalities and enhancing the quality of life for individuals worldwide.
Sheila Johnson serves as chair of the Board of Governors of Parsons The New School for Design in New York and funded the opening of the Sheila C. Johnson Design Center, combining classrooms, public program spaces, and galleries. She sits on the boards of VH1's Save the Music Foundation, Americans for the Arts, the School of Education and Human Development Foundation at the University of Virginia, and the University of Illinois Foundation. Johnson is also the Ambassador for the Healthy Site Institute, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a member of Sigma Alpha Iota music fraternity.
Today In Black History
In 1793, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 was passed by Congress, allowing slave owners to recapture their slaves who had escaped to other states with the approval of those states.
In 1865, Henry Highland Garnet became the first Black person to speak in the Capitol at the House of Representatives.
In 1900, for an Abraham Lincoln birthday celebration, James Weldon Johnson wrote the lyrics for “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing.” His brother, J. Rosamond Johnson, put the poem to music. It was first sung publicly by 500 schoolchildren in Jacksonville, Florida.
In 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded in New York City.
In 1939, Augustus Nathaniel Lushington became the first African American to earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
In 1948, First Lieutenant Nancy C. Leftenant became the first Black member of the regular Army Nursing Corps.
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I love that in England, Nancy Leftenant would have been called "Leftenant Leftenant."
Thank you for your wonderful words and insights. If I were still teaching , I’d use your posts as discussion/essay topics. Your enlightening articles serve as reminders that this is and should be incorporated into all history studies.