From the Chicago Tribune on August 16th, 2005:
"In a funeral befitting a fallen head of state, visiting dignitaries and average Chicagoans on Monday remembered businessman John H. Johnson, crediting the publisher of Ebony and Jet magazines with changing how blacks are seen in the United States."
Read the rest of the article here
I wasn't familiar with Johnson's work before he died (well, I had looked through Ebony and Jet in the past, but didn't know anything about Johnson.) but I think it's important to celebrate black culture. Although Johnson wasn't as visible as Peter Jennings, his work was just as important and should be honored and respected by everyone. If you have any doubts, pick up one of Johnson's magazines, and then go read "The Known World" and think about how far we've come in even just 30 years.
