George died of natural causes at his downtown Chicago condominium, according to his son John Edward Johnson, who confirmed his father’s death to the outlet.
“I think his legacy as a businessman and philanthropist speaks for itself,” John said.
George founded Johnson Products in 1954 after working for the Black-owned cosmetics company S.B. Fuller. The Chicago-based company developed hair care products specifically for Black consumers, including Ultra Sheen, Classy Curl, Curly Perm, and Afro Sheen.
In 1971, Johnson Products became the first Black-owned business to trade on the American Stock Exchange, marking a milestone for Black entrepreneurship in the United States.
The company also became known for pioneering marketing strategies aimed at Black consumers. It was the first Black-owned company to sponsor the nationally syndicated television program Soul Train, helping expand both the brand’s national visibility and the show’s cultural reach.
Born in a sharecropper’s shack in Richton, Mississippi, George moved to Chicago with his mother in 1929. He worked a series of jobs as a child before leaving high school to support his family. At age 17, he joined S.B. Fuller, where his experience in sales and product development laid the foundation for launching his own company a decade later.
George remained active in business and philanthropy throughout his life, supporting educational initiatives and civic organizations while mentoring generations of entrepreneurs. In 2025, he published his memoir, Afro Sheen: How I Revolutionized an Industry with the Golden Rule, from Soul Train to Wall Street, chronicling the company’s rise and his philosophy of leadership and service.
Reflecting on the principles that shaped his career, the business pioneer said in a 2025 interview, “When you help people, people will help you. And if you serve them well, they’re going to make your business successful.”
George’s legacy endures through the barriers he broke in American business, his influence on the Black beauty industry, and the opportunities he created for future generations of Black entrepreneurs.
Beloved Artist Danny Simmons Has Transitioned, Leaving A Profound Legacy Behind
He is survived by family, friends, and the arts community.
Danny Simmons Jr., known for his Neo-African abstract expressionist art and poetry, has died. He was 72. The Simmons family announced his passing via social media June 15, expressing their grief but also paying homage to his life and legacy as a “brother, father, uncle, grandfather, and loving husband,” as well as a creative and “cherished friend.”
The painter and poet is the older brother of 1980s rapper-turned-clergyman Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, with whom he founded, in 1995, Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, a nonprofit organization that has facilitated arts programming for underserved youth for more than 30 years. Danny was at the helm of both Rush Arts Gallery and Corridor Gallery, having showcased notable Black artists, such as Kehinde Wiley, Simone Leigh, Derrick Adams, and Sanford Biggers, early in their careers.
In addition to spearheading arts institutions, Danny would go on to co-found Def Poetry Jam with Russell in 2001. As a poet himself, he was hands-on with curation and production, earning the show Peabody and Tony Awards in 2003.
Several family members have shared loving recollections of Danny, namely of his loving spirit, kindness, and selfless support of others. Russell referred to Danny as his “best friend” and said he was the “true artist in the family.”
“His poetry, art, and ideas shaped how we think and gave us the freedom to dream beyond limits,” Russell shared in an Instagram post. “He cared deeply about the underserved communities of color and encouraged us to give back.”
Danny was not only a patron of the arts but also a prolific writer, artist, and avid art collector. To his credit, the Jamaica, Queens, New York, native owned roughly 1500 African art pieces, not counting numerous other works of art in his personal collection. Danny has written four books of poetry, one novel, and a graphic novel. Danny’s artwork is widely collected, has been exhibited globally, and is part of the permanent collections of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn Museum, Schomburg Center for Black Culture, The Smithsonian, and United Nations, to name a few.
Danny’s latest body of work, Visual Expressions, is currently on view at The Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio, through June 28.
He is survived by his wife, Keia; son, Jamel; grandson; his two brothers; a host of nieces and nephews; extended family; dear friends; and the art community.
Party Planning on a Budget? How to Deliver an Extraordinary Experience Without Overspending
Event designer Kim Perrymond shares her tips for where to save and where to splurge to create a wow factor without breaking the bank.
Kim Perrymond, founder and creative director of EZPZ Party Planning, helps families celebrate life’s biggest moments with intention, creativity, and unforgettable experiences as a self-described “celebration strategist.”
“I’m thinking about the look, the flow, the vendors, the details, the speakers, the money, the experience, and most importantly how you want people to feel when they walk in and out of that room,” says Perrymond.
But as someone who works with a number of entrepreneurs and founders, she also recognizes the power of events to generate both revenue and leads. Her goal: to turn your event attendees into raving fans of your company.
“For entrepreneurs, celebrations can be an investment in your brand,” she says. “A well-strategized event can build relationships, create content, generate FOMO, strengthen your community, attract new clients, and even create revenue.”
Perrymond spoke to BLACK ENTERPRISE exclusively about the evolution of how and why we gather to celebrate and how you can create impactful celebrations that match the luxury events you see on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok … even if you have a limited budget:
How is the way Americans approach party planning changing?
I think it’s becoming a lot more intentional and experience-driven. People still want beautiful celebrations, but now they’re asking, “What’s the purpose behind this? What do I want people to feel, remember, or walk away with?”
And the reality is, everything is content now and content = cash! People are thinking about those Instagram-able moments: the backdrop, the entrance, the details, the moment that makes somebody pull out their phone and become their marketing team.
I see that a lot with entrepreneurs, too. They’re celebrating launches, business anniversaries, revenue goals, rebrands, and major milestones, but they don’t want to pour their heart, soul, and money into an event and walk away broke. They want that event to actually do something: build relationships, create opportunities, and ultimately generate revenue.
How should consumers strategically budget for their celebrations?
I always tell people, remember you still have to live after this party. I’m here for doing it big, but I’m also here for doing it smart and strategically.
Start with what you can realistically afford and then decide what matters most. You don’t have to spend money on everything. Spend it on the things that are going to create the biggest impact, the best memories, and, especially if you’re an entrepreneur, the best return.
I never want you waking up the next morning thinking, “Okay…now how am I going to pay my bills?” The celebration should feel good during the event and after it’s over.
How can we translate the events we see on social media on a budget?
Social media will have you thinking you need every single thing you see to create a fabulous event, and you really don’t. Pick a few statement moments and put your money there. Then figure out what you can DIY, repurpose, or simplify. Take the inspiration, not the invoice.
This is actually why we’ve recently started creating templates. Even if you’re not the best designer, you don’t have to start from scratch. Use a template, customize it to fit your vision and your brand, and make it your own.
And please don’t forget about AI. AI can help you brainstorm themes, create wording, come up with signage ideas, map out your event, and help you think creatively without having to pay someone for every single detail.
What are some common but costly party planning mistakes?
One of the biggest and most costly mistakes I see is planning before you have a strategy. People get excited, start booking vendors, buying décor, and adding all the cute things, and before they know it, they’ve blown the budget on things that really weren’t necessary. Start with the goal. Once we know that, we can decide where the money actually needs to go.
And please, have a real budget and budget for incidentals. There will always be something that costs more than you expected. A delivery fee, gratuity, extra rental, last-minute guest–something gets added, or something changes. So don’t spend every dollar of your budget before the event even starts. Give yourself some breathing room.
What are some party planning trends that aren’t worth the money?
For me, it’s anything we’re spending on just because it’s trending. I never want my clients blowing their budget trying to check every box they saw on Instagram or TikTok.
We’ve seen the huge balloon installations, flower walls, champagne walls, neon signs, over-the-top favors, elaborate photo booths—all beautiful, but if nobody is going to interact with it, remember it, photograph it, or if it doesn’t support the overall goal, do we really need to spend that money?
And favors? Listen, if I’m watching your expensive custom favors get left on the table at the end of the night, we could’ve kept that money! Give people something they actually want, can use, or can consume—or skip it.
What are some ways to make your event feel luxurious without breaking the bank?
Luxury is a feeling. It’s not always about how much money you spend; it’s about how you make people feel.
For me, it’s all in the details. Personalize things! Put people’s names on their place cards, menus, welcome gifts, or even something small at their seat. There’s something about walking into a room and seeing your name that immediately says, ‘They were expecting me. They thought about me.‘ That feels luxurious without necessarily costing a lot of money.
And don’t forget the guest experience. Luxury can be being greeted by name. It’s not waiting in a long line or having umbrellas when it rains. It’s knowing where to go. It’s the music being right, the food coming out on time, and the entire experience flowing seamlessly.
Magic Johnson’s WNBA Strategy Teaches Black Investors
The Los Angeles Sparks co-owner’s patience in women’s basketball highlights how long-term equity bets are changing Black sports ownership and franchise valuations.
In professional sports ownership, capital appreciation requires vision, leverage, and patience. For years, major sports organizations viewed women’s basketball as a minor expense rather than a growth opportunity, causing early investors to incur significant losses as they waited for market recognition.
When Earvin “Magic” Johnson and his group acquired the Los Angeles Sparks for $10 million in 2014, they took on a franchise with a strong legacy but ongoing losses. Today, the team’s financial position has improved, providing a clear example of equity growth in sports business.
The Power of Holding Assets Through the Lean Years
Addressing the crowd at Invest Fest in Atlanta, Johnson delivered a comprehensive session on asset retention to thousands of Black entrepreneurs and corporate leaders. “It’s been tough going for the WNBA until now,” Johnson revealed, recounting the early years when ownership often considered selling the franchise to stop financial losses. “There was a time when we said, ‘Should we sell this?’ And we kept saying, ‘No, let’s hold on to it.’ Thank God we didn’t sell too early.”
Johnson points out that although the Los Angeles Sparks suffered operating losses for more than 10 years, their value is now over $300 million, according to Athlete Speakers. This shows a key lesson for the Black business community: equity can grow beyond short-term cash flow. In an industry where Black-majority ownership is uncommon, maintaining controlling equity amid market changes offers an advantage as institutional investment in women’s sports grows.
New Media Money Engine Driving WNBA Profitability
The main factor behind this growth is a major shift in broadcast economics. According to Just Women’s Sports, the WNBA secured an 11-year, $2.2 billion media rights deal with Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon Prime Video, which could reach $3.1 billion with additional partners. This deal raises the league’s annual media revenue from $60 million to over $280 million. ESPN’s Katie Barnes notes the WNBA had its first profitable year last season.
According to Sportico, the average value of a WNBA team has increased by 345% over two years to reach $427 million, with the Golden State Valkyries valued at $850 million and the New York Liberty at $600 million. Along with rising league revenue, which has enabled an $8 million per-team player revenue share, the WNBA is rapidly becoming a profitable, independent league, as Yardbarker noted.
Voices Across the Game: Players, Coaches, and Ownership
The changing economic environment is prompting stakeholders to revise their perceptions of the league’s monetary outlook. Becky Hammon, head coach of the Las Vegas Aces, has repeatedly called for more investment and stressed that if owners build top-quality facilities and invest in their teams, they will increase the league’s total commercial value.
Players have argued that limited distribution and marketing have restricted the sport’s true value. WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike expressed this in The Players’ Tribune, writing, “We just want what we’re worth. We just want what’s right… a league that invests in its future, a league that believes in us as much as we believe in it.” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told Cronkite News that women’s sports media rights have been undervalued for decades and highlighted the league’s successful shift from survival to sustained growth.
Why WNBA Valuations Matter to Black Business Leaders
For African American executives and investors, the WNBA’s financial expansion affords a practical model for strategic asset ownership. Sports franchises now represent durable assets with strong returns. As new teams in Toronto, Portland, and Cleveland join the league, raising the total to 18, opportunities for Black investment groups to gain significant equity are increasing. Johnson’s experience with the Sparks shows that combining Black capital with patience can turn early risk into major commercial success.
The three-time Grammy Award-winning rapper, entrepreneur, and philanthropist announced a new distribution partnership between her independent company, Hot Girl Productions, and Interscope Records. The agreement will provide global distribution and strategic support for her upcoming releases, allowing her to retain complete ownership of her masters and publishing. The deal gives the Houston native access to a major music company’s global infrastructure without surrendering ownership of the underlying intellectual property.
“I’ve always wanted to create music on my terms while building a legacy that extends beyond the industry,” Megan said in a press release. “This distribution partnership with Interscope allows me to stay true to my creative vision while also increasing my global reach. I’m excited for this next chapter of growth and the expansion of my Hot Girl Productions empire.”
Steve Berman, the vice chairman of Interscope Capitol, said Megan’s career has been defined by both cultural influence and entrepreneurial ambition.
“From the moment Megan emerged, it was clear she was a singular artist with an unmistakable voice and an extraordinary ability to shape culture on her own terms,” said Berman. “She has consistently redefined what it means to be a global superstar—combining creative excellence, entrepreneurial vision and an uncompromising authenticity. We’re honored to welcome Megan to the Interscope family and excited to partner with Roc Nation as we support her next chapter.”
Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez also released a statement, emphasizing that ownership remains central to Megan’s business strategy.
“Megan has always approached her career with a focus on ownership, creative freedom, and long-term impact,” Perez said. “The ability to maintain her independence and own her masters is a testament to the vision that has guided her career from the beginning.”
The partnership comes months after Megan appeared on the May/June 2026 cover of Entrepreneur, where she discussed her approach to building a business and converting cultural influence into long-term enterprise value.
photo credit: Jeff Ruane, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Southern University’s Human Jukebox Stars In Gap Denim Campaign
The campaign gives the Human Jukebox another opportunity to showcase its arrangements of popular music.
Southern University’s Human Jukebox is featured in Gap’s latest denim campaign, placing the HBCU marching band at the center of a national fashion advertisement ahead of the fall football and homecoming season, HBCU Gameday reports.
The Baton Rouge-based band appears in Gap’s “Denim on Your Own” campaign, performing its arrangement of Swedish singer Robyn’s 2010 song “Dancing on My Own.” Band members appear in dark-wash denim, white T-shirts, and custom jackets that combine Southern University branding with elements inspired by the Human Jukebox’s uniforms, according to the outlet.
The custom jackets are not currently available for purchase.
The campaign gives the Human Jukebox another opportunity to showcase its arrangements of popular music. The band drew national attention in 2015 for its performance of Adele’s “Hello” during the Bayou Classic Battle of the Bands.
The Gap partnership initially had a different concept. Human Jukebox Director Kedric D. Taylor told WAFB that Gap contacted him by email about appearing in a commercial. The original plan called for the band to travel to Atlanta and perform with a major artist, but the concept later changed.
“They were like, well, look, we just came to your campus. Your band has a brand. You guys will be our artists,” Taylor told the outlet.
Gap instead brought the production to Southern University and made the Human Jukebox the focus of the campaign.
The collaboration follows a series of high-profile appearances for the Southern University band. The Human Jukebox has participated in presidential inaugural celebrations and the Rose Parade and has performed at Super Bowl events, including festivities surrounding Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans in February 2025.
Taylor said the band program also seeks to create opportunities for students beyond performing.
“We don’t just do music; we set our students up for opportunities to do things that they came here to do,” Taylor said.
Job Seekers Use Hidden Resume Prompts To Outsmart AI Screeners
The tactic, known as prompt injection, can involve placing commands in extremely small white text that is effectively invisible to a human recruiter.
Job applicants are embedding hidden instructions in resumes to manipulate artificial intelligence screening tools, a practice that is raising new questions about employers’ growing reliance on automated hiring systems, Inc.com reports. reports.
The tactic, known as prompt injection, can involve placing commands in extremely small white text that is effectively invisible to a human recruiter but readable by an AI system. Some instructions tell the technology to disregard other information and advance an applicant in the hiring process, according to an Aug. 21 Inc. column by recruiting executive Deepali Vyas.
Vyas, founder and CEO of Vyas Media and The Elite Recruiter, argued that applicants’ attempts to circumvent AI screeners expose shortcomings in hiring systems designed to process large numbers of applications.
ahhhhhhh so I'm hiring a tech to help me out in lab and screening applications now and THE KIDS ARE USING PROMPT INJECTION!!!!!! 2.25 pt white text, here's what I've found so far pic.twitter.com/s8TtKxqUgE
“When you automate the front end of your hiring process without any human judgment in the loop, you don’t just screen out bad candidates. You screen out good ones, too,” Vyas wrote.
Research from Duke University suggests the practice extends beyond isolated cases. Researchers working with industry partners examined 200,000 real resumes submitted to recruiting platform HireEZ and found that at least 1% contained concealed instructions intended to manipulate AI systems. Duke announced the findings on July 22 and said tutorials, templates, and online videos were contributing to the tactic’s spread.
Prompt injection can include hidden commands or keywords designed to influence how an AI tool evaluates an applicant. Researchers said early large language models were particularly susceptible to following such instructions, creating vulnerabilities as employers increasingly incorporate AI into recruiting.
Vyas, who said she has spent more than 25 years placing senior executives, cautioned that automated screening can help employers narrow thousands of applications but does not ensure the remaining candidates are the most qualified.
She argued that unconventional candidates can be disadvantaged when their experience, career changes, or accomplishments do not align neatly with the criteria an automated system is designed to recognize.
The issue, Vyas wrote, is ultimately less about applicants finding ways around AI than about whether employers have become too dependent on automated filters for decisions that require human judgment.
“If your hiring process can’t tell the difference between a great candidate and a well-prompted one, the problem is not the candidates,” Vyas wrote. “It’s the process.”
Mary J. Blige Says Faith And Financial Education Helped Her Take Control of Her Career
The queen of hip-hop soul says confronting pride and learning the business side of music were key to taking ownership of her career.
Mary J. Blige is reflecting on the hard-earned lessons that helped her move from simply being the talent to taking greater control of the business behind her career.
During a recent episode of the “IMO” podcast, hosted by former first lady Michelle Obama and her brother, Craig Robinson, the nine-time Grammy-winning singer reflected on a pivotal period surrounding her 2001 album, No More Drama. Blige said she eventually realized that while some people around her were taking advantage of her lack of business knowledge, she also needed to take responsibility for understanding the decisions affecting her career.
“I used to get upset and curse everybody out because things weren’t working,” Blige admitted. “And it wasn’t their fault. It was my fault.”
That realization led the artist to apologize to people who helped bring No More Drama to life and examine her own approach to relationships and leadership.
Blige also credited faith and Christian teachings with helping her confront what she described as pride and arrogance. “It’s the spiritual side of things,” she said, explaining that listening to pastors and other spiritual leaders pushed her to pause and examine herself.
“I realized that I was being prideful and disrespectful to people,” Blige said. “Pump the brakes. I’m doing something wrong here.”
The legendary R&B singer also talked about financial literacy and the importance of artists understanding the business behind their creativity. Blige said she recognized that people around her had benefited from the fact that she was “unaware” of certain aspects of the industry.
“When I woke up and realized, you know, Mary, you have to get educated. You have to stay on your business,” she said.
Blige, whose career spans more than three decades, has built a catalog that includes eight multiplatinum albums and more than 50 million albums sold worldwide, according to her official biography. No More Drama remains a defining chapter in that journey, but her latest reflections place the focus on what came behind the music: accountability, education, and ownership.
The Right Way To Use AI At Every Stage Of Your Career
Experienced professionals can use AI to automate tasks they already understand while applying years of judgment and institutional knowledge to the results.
Artificial intelligence (AI) can help employees work faster, but relying too heavily on the technology could prevent some workers from developing the professional judgment needed to advance their careers, Forbes reports.
That risk may be particularly significant for early-career professionals, workplace strategist Nirit Cohen wrote, examining how workers should approach AI at different stages of their careers.
Experienced professionals can use AI to automate tasks they already understand while applying years of judgment and institutional knowledge to the results. They are more likely to recognize when an AI-generated response is technically accurate but incomplete, impractical, or poorly suited to an organization’s needs.
Early-career professionals face a different challenge. By outsourcing assignments to AI, they could bypass work that traditionally helps employees build expertise through mistakes, feedback, and hands-on experience.
Research from Harvard Business School supports the distinction. In a study of 78 workers, researchers compared web analysts with marketing and technology professionals using generative AI to perform unfamiliar tasks. AI helped workers across groups develop ideas and complete work faster, but it did not eliminate the expertise gap.
Marketing professionals, whose existing skills were more closely related to the assigned work, performed nearly as well as web analysts. Technology specialists, whose expertise was further removed from the task, continued to lag in execution despite having access to artificial intelligence.
Researchers described the divide as “knowledge distance,” or the difference between the skills workers already possess and those required for a particular task.
For early-career workers, Cohen recommends focusing on understanding rather than simply producing polished results. Employees should be able to explain an AI-assisted recommendation, identify its underlying assumptions, and defend the work without returning to the tool for help.
Experienced professionals, meanwhile, should consider what judgment they are contributing after delegating work to artificial intelligence rather than simply approving its output.
“AI can accelerate execution,” Cohen wrote. “Your job is to make sure it is also accelerating your expertise rather than helping you bypass it.”
Texas Southern University Hires Corey Lowery As Men’s Basketball Coach Despite Team-Led Protest
The vote came one day after members of the men's basketball team joined students and alumni in a demonstration on the Houston campus.
Texas Southern University has hired Corey Lowery as its new men’s basketball coach after players, students, and alums protested the expected appointment and called on the university to retain interim coach Shyrone Chatman, HBCU Gameday reports.
The Texas Southern Board of Regents approved Lowery’s appointment 6-1 on Aug. 19. The decision concluded a months-long search for a permanent replacement for Johnny Jones, who resigned in April after eight seasons to become an assistant coach at LSU.
The vote came one day after members of the men’s basketball team joined students and alumni in a demonstration on the Houston campus in support of Chatman. Video shared by Terrance Harris, college sports editor for the Defender Network, showed demonstrators marching and carrying signs that included messages such as “Keep Coach Chatman, He’s Our Coach” and “Student Athletes Matter.”
Chatman, a longtime Texas Southern assistant, had served as interim head coach since Jones’s departure while the university conducted a national search.
Lowery emerged as the expected choice earlier in August, but his path to the job faced resistance. The outlet reported that his candidacy previously failed to gain approval from two Board of Regents committees before advancing to the full board.
Harris also reported questions surrounding communication between Lowery and members of the Texas Southern program before his appointment.
According to the outlet, the reporting included evidence of an exchange involving a current player and a recording involving a player’s parent.
Texas Southern ultimately moved forward with Lowery, who spent the previous four seasons as an assistant coach at Seton Hall University. According to the university, Lowery has 27 years of coaching experience, including 13 seasons as a college head coach, and holds a 266-73 career head coaching record.
“Coach Lowery has won at every level and every stop of his career,” Texas Southern President J.W. Crawford III said in announcing the hire. “Beyond constructing winning rosters and producing on the court, he is a maker of men off the court.”
Lowery takes over a Texas Southern program that competes in the Southwestern Athletic Conference as it prepares for the 2026-27 season.
Woodyard decided to return to school after watching her four children complete their education.
At 91, Helen Woodyard earned her GED, becoming the oldest person in Georgia to receive the credential in roughly a decade, 11 Alive reports.
Woodyard received her diploma July 29 during West Georgia Technical College’s adult education commencement ceremony in Waco, Georgia. Her achievement came three years after she began taking classes on her 88th birthday.
Woodyard decided to return to school after watching her four children complete their education. She had long regretted not finishing her own.
“I never finished, so I always regretted not getting my diploma,” Woodyard said. “My four children finished, and I always wanted to do what they did.”
Earning the credential required Woodyard to complete more than 900 hours of coursework. She drove herself to class three days a week, studied regularly, and rarely missed class.
Woodyard also had to adapt to technology that had become standard in education since she was last in a classroom. She learned how to use a scientific calculator and the computer programs required for exams with help from her adult education instructors.
“I kept going because I don’t quit anything that I start,” Woodyard said. “The Lord started a work in me, and I was willing to spend all the time I had left before I died to finish.”
Before Woodyard received her diploma, West Georgia Technical College President Julie Post read a congratulatory letter from the mayor of LaGrange recognizing her accomplishment.
Woodyard was among 91 students honored at the ceremony for completing GED/ high school equivalency or English as a Second Language programs.
Her education journey is not ending with her diploma. Woodyard has said she hopes to use what she learned to help other older adults learn to read and write.
