George E. Johnson, the South Side businessman behind Johnson Products and the iconic Afro Sheen and Ultra Sheen brands, has died at 99. The Chicago entrepreneur turned a barbershop hustle into a national cosmetics powerhouse, then used that platform for splashy advertising, TV sponsorships and a steady stream of civic support.
Family announces his passing
Family members said Johnson died Monday morning, according to WGN-TV. They did not immediately share a cause of death, and public plans for a memorial were not yet available. He leaves behind his wife, Madeline Murphy Rabb, along with an extended network of colleagues and mentees in Chicago’s business community.
From barbershops to a national brand
Johnson launched Johnson Products in 1954, starting with a men’s relaxer called Ultra Wave before developing Ultra Sheen Relaxer and later the Afro Sheen line, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. He planted a highly visible headquarters just off the Dan Ryan Expressway at 8522 S. Lafayette Ave., employing hundreds and sending a daily message of Black business success to neighbors and passing drivers. His marketing pushed affirming images of Black life into mainstream media and helped turn his products into household staples.
Afro Sheen, Soul Train and Wall Street
Introduced in the late 1960s, Afro Sheen both embraced natural Black hair and widened Johnson Products’ customer base; the company would later become the exclusive corporate sponsor of Soul Train and the first Black-owned company listed on the American Stock Exchange, as reported by AP News. Its television and print ads, crafted by Black advertising pioneers, helped force a shift in how major brands spoke to Black consumers.
Giving back and business mentorship
Johnson used the company’s momentum to support education, small-business development and civil-rights efforts in Chicago, providing benefits and scholarships long before such perks became standard in corporate America, per the Chicago Sun-Times. Colleagues say he mentored a generation of Black business leaders and backed institutions including the Chicago Urban League. “I was never afraid of failure,” Johnson told the Sun-Times while looking back on a career that paired commerce with community.
What He Wrote and What Remains
In early 2025, Johnson published his memoir, "Afro Sheen," which recounts the rise of Johnson Products and the racial barriers he pushed through along the way, according to AP News. Leaders across Chicago offered condolences and pointed out that his mix of business ambition and civic commitment left an outsized mark on the city’s South Side, according to WGN-TV.
