Robert Louis Johnson (born April 8, 1946) is an American entrepreneur, media magnate, executive, philanthropist, and investor. He is the co-founder of BET, which was acquired by Viacom in 2001. He also founded See more

Johnson was born in 1946 in Hickory, Mississippi, the ninth out of ten children to Edna and Archie Johnson. His mother was a schoolteacher and … See more

In 2011, Johnson worked with Morgan Freeman to raise funds for hurricane preparedness in the Bahamas. Johnson released a neckwear … See more

Johnson married Sheila Johnson in 1969. They divorced in 2001 and have two children. She is CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts and owner of Salamander … See more

After graduating from Princeton, Johnson found a job in Washington, D.C., which introduced him to the television industry. He served as the … See more

Role in 2008 election
During the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Johnson was a prominent surrogate for See more

• List of black American firsts
• Black billionaires See more