The pioneering Black hair care mogul who created Afro Sheen is dead at 99

NPR | By Jordan-Marie Smith,

Jeanette Woods

Published July 7, 2026 at 2:08 PM MDT

George E. Johnson, the entrepreneur behind Ultra Sheen and Afro Sheen, has died at 99. NPR remembers how he built an empire based on Black hair care and Black pride.

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All Things Considered

Jordan-Marie Smith

Jordan-Marie Smith is a producer with NPR's All Things Considered.

Jeanette Woods

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