IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 246 
Paying tribute to John Harold Johnson in recognition of his many 
achievements and contributions. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 20, 2005 
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois (for himself, Mr. MEEK of Florida, Ms. NORTON, Mr. 
BUTTERFIELD, Ms. CARSON, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Ms. 
EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan, and 
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which 
was referred to the Committee on Government Reform 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Paying tribute to John Harold Johnson in recognition of 
his many achievements and contributions. 
Whereas on August 9, 2005, the United States lost John 
Harold Johnson, who contributed greatly to the Nation 
by using the power of the press to open the doors of op-
portunity for African Americans and shatter negative, ra-
cial stereotypes; 
Whereas John Johnson was born to humble circumstances in 
1918 in Arkansas City, Arkansas, within the area of the 
United States known as the Delta Region; 
Whereas in 1918, the Arkansas race riots illuminated for the 
world the circumstances into which John Johnson was
•HCON 246 IH 
born and under which African Americans existed in the 
Delta Region; 
Whereas at this time, African Americans living in the Delta 
Region were faced with brutal conditions, exemplified by 
the common occurrence of lynchings, a widespread sys-
tem of debt peonage, a political system entirely domi-
nated by a small White minority, as well as a judicial sys-
tem completely denying the participation of African 
Americans, even as jurors; 
Whereas the Johnson family, seeking a better life, eventually 
became part of the Great Migration, which brought them 
to Chicago in 1933, where a young John Johnson at-
tended DuSable High School with such classmates as 
Redd Foxx and Nat King Cole; 
Whereas in 1942, with a loan of $500 secured by his moth-
er’s furniture, John Johnson launched Negro Digest, an 
endeavor which would eventually evolve into a unique 
publishing and cosmetics empire that reached into the 
homes of millions of African Americans and helped re-
shape the United States; 
Whereas John Johnson created Ebony magazine, which 
began in 1945 with a yearly circulation of 25,000 and 
reached a monthly circulation exceeding 1,600,000 last 
year; 
Whereas John Johnson also created Jet magazine, founded in 
1951, with a current weekly circulation of 900,000; 
Whereas John Johnson’s company, Johnson Publishing, ex-
panded to create Fashion Fair Cosmetics, as well as the 
JPC Book Division; 
Whereas John Johnson’s publications offered positive images 
and stories of African American men and women, and in-
•HCON 246 IH 
spired and motivated generations of African Americans to 
excel in every walk of life, while discrediting racist stereo-
types, which remained too common; 
Whereas John Johnson’s publications energized the civil 
rights movement during the 1950s and later decades with 
powerful images and stories of the struggle for equality, 
including the shocking images of the murder of Emmett 
Till; 
Whereas John Johnson’s publications helped create a power-
ful African American marketplace, which permitted Afri-
can Americans and other minorities to participate in the 
United States economy in a new and more just manner, 
and which made John Johnson one of the Nation’s most 
successful entrepreneurs and innovators; 
Whereas John Johnson became one of the Nation’s leading 
philanthropists, donating millions of dollars to the civil 
rights movement, historically Black colleges and univer-
sities, and other worthy causes; and 
Whereas as a result of his good works, John Johnson was 
lauded with numerous honors, including the Presidential 
Medal of Freedom: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That Congress— 
(1) notes with deep sorrow the death of John 
Harold Johnson; 
(2) extends heartfelt sympathy to the wife and 
family of John Johnson; and
•HCON 246 IH 
(3) commends John Johnson for his many ac-
complishments. 
Æ