PHOTOS: Pre-Grammy Gala Becomes Whitney Memorial
Simon Cowell: Whitney Would've Been The Ultimate 'X Factor'…
An era came to an end on Sunday, when Eunice Johnson, widow of Ebony Magazine Founder John Johnson, died at the age of 93. Mrs. Johnson not only chose the name for Ebony Magazine, but she also ran the Ebony Fashion Fair, one of the most respected fashion shows in the world.
Ebony Magazine was the flagship of Johnson Publishing, created in 1945 as a black alternative to Life Magazine. The name Ebony was chosen to reflect the beauty of black ebony wood. Mrs. Johnson chose the name of the magazine and ultimately ran the Ebony Fashion Fair as it changed the world.
The Ebony Fashion Fair started as a fundraiser for a hospital in the 1950s and eventually grew to a traveling show that has been held over 4,000 times and earned $55 million dollars for charity.
"It brought to the lower-middle-class black people a sense of what fashion really was. She gave the local community a chance to see these clothes," said Andre Leon Talley, editor at large for Vogue magazine.
The black community can learn valuable lessons on entrepreneurship and persistence from the Johnson family, who found ways to create opportunities when there were none. Their achievements and contributions will never be forgotten.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (11)
Add a comment
By: Missy Bell (Indianapolis, IN) on 1/05/2010 11:41PM
Rest in peace Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. You are gone from this earth but you will NEVER be forgotten for the many outstanding and prolific contributions you made to the African American community. May you forever be held in the arms of the REAL Master.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Shaiye on 1/05/2010 2:31AM
This is painful news to me. I remember the first time I went to one of those. I left feeling so empowered. Coming from a fairly small town populated in majority by whites, living in neighborhoods where mostly mexicans lived because most of the black people lived in even poorer neighborhoods... there were a lot of successful and wealthy blacks, and what grew to be all 5 1/2" of me wanted to be a runway model. I got lucky a couple of times and was selected as a volunteer for the show twice and every time I would get dressed up (it was around prom time but my dress had to be better than any prom dress - not like I had to worry about showing up the host) and go be amazed. If it had not have been for going to that show I would probably have never taking up sewing (thinking that if my body couldn't be on that runway maybe my clothes could someday, lol). If you have never been to one I suggest you shell out those few bucks and go, it might sound like you're just watching some people walk by in some outfits but it is so much more than that, I hope that they will continue to bring that class and elegance closer to where people who might otherwise have to wait for Extra to cover the red carpet, just to get a glimpse. After two years (where I'm from) of nothing but low income living it was so refreshing to peer into the life of luxury and opulence and tell myself "I deserve that, I can have it someday, some way." So far I have owned two Oscar De La Renta scarves! lol But the Fashion Fair has always given me motivation, just to think someone is buying these, someone black, and it's not hurting. I could try to describe it forever...
Anywho, I have blessed through the motives of the Ebony Fashion Fair and hope that I will have the opportunity in the future. Thank you Mr and Mrs Johnson.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Evelyn on 1/07/2010 2:36PM
An Ebony Fashion Show is something every young girl especially, should see. When I attended in the early 1970's, over on Miami Beach, Florida, it was my first time and it was amazing. What made the night even more wonderful is that I won the Grand Door Prize and it was a Fox Stole and I was only about 25 years old. First time I'd ever won anything and from that moment on, I have won money and cars. I haven't been to a show in a while but, still believe in it. I'm not always pleased with Ebony or Jet Magazines. Maybe its my age but, some of the stuff they print isn't inspiring, motivational or printable in helping the young society. Just to give you an example I stopped my subscription after reading about the marriage of a 17 year old teenager in Jet (Solange Knowles), and was the Best Picture of the Week getting married and pregnant. That is sad. Happy she married and the father took responsibility but (Knew at that age it wouldn't work with a family that has as much money as they do), and knew it was for the baby and show. She thought she was in love and she was, for the only love she could possibly know at 17. Of course I knew she was active when I watched her in the movie I believe it was called, "Johnson Family Vaction." That was not acting but the look of a sexually active teen when eyeing the indian guy. I was a virgin until 19 and I'm able to see a lot more and know a lot more before it happens because of the wait. I had a baby out of wedlock, evening with wating and its no fun. Everyone watching the movie didn't want to believe me when I said, "She isn't acting but, doing what she would do if this was real." But everyone said, "Its just acting," then came the news, she's with baby." I think African Americans with voices need to give back more positive things to our culture and stop having them buy into negative things. Anyone can make a mistake but, stop glamourizing it and giving you people false information. My thing was, "Thank God she didn't get Aids but a baby." Same thing I would think or say for my own kid. Then Solange went on line with a mouth that I'm sure she got from home when she went on Utube and cursed and cursed because someone asked her a question she didn't approve of. Should she have been mad? Yes she has that right but, she stooped to an all time low to address her anger. Our culture is dying because we seem to have lost all our values. I've never seen such disrespect from men towards women in all the time I've been on the face of the earth. And women allow it and thinks its cool to be called a bitch or a whore. Why? In 61 year, No matter how mad some man was at men, "I've never been called either." Wake up young folks and stay true to thine ownself. Our generation is dying and what is being left is very representative of who we really are. I love my Black people but, most times now, I get embarrassed for them because they don't even know they should be embarrassed. Please, go to school, read, educate yourselves to be better. You dictate your future and you can, no matter where you come from. Just like Ebony Fashion Show or the magazines, you can be just as big in your own right. What is successful for them, doesn't have to be what's successful for you. Create a world you can live in and not try to create an attaintable world to prove something to someone esle. Do and be the best that you can be and that's all that GOD expects from you.
Report This
By: Infinimee on 1/05/2010 3:14PM
Rest in peace Mrs. Johnson. Along with your husband, you helped to instill black pride in so many. I am eternally grateful. Thank God for you.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Sheryl on 1/05/2010 5:13PM
Talk about the ultimate 'power couple'...both had business saavy, and the power to overcome great obstacles. Mrs Johnson had a presence about her, she was graceful yet commanded attention. These are two people that our kids should look at as role models.
May she rest in peace alongside her prince.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Clarene Mitchell on 1/05/2010 6:24PM
I was saddened to hear of Mrs. Johnson's death. Her passing will be a blow to Johnson Publishing at a time when they are strugling to stay in business.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: mari on 1/06/2010 8:49PM
Rest in peace beautiful lady, she has lived a long wonderful God filled life. She was a pillar of her race and of her gender. I pray for her daughter and her grand children that they will be okay and that they will mourn her death as God would want them too. She is at home with him now and will be missed by her family and her peers. She and her husband and daughter has left a wonderful mark on our world and we are etermally grateful to them for such an eye opening genre of reading and fashion. God loves you more than anyone he said come home and that is a beautiful thing... God Bless you rest in peace...
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Mike on 1/05/2010 9:04PM
Rest in peace, Mrs. Johnson. I appreciate it what you and husband did.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Mrs. Parker on 1/05/2010 11:26PM
Besides my mother, noone else has managed to enhance and encourage me as wonderfully as The Ebony Fashion Fair runway! Mrs. Johnson changed and colored my world forever. I majored and received a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising because of her. As a young girl, my parents insisted that The Ebony Fashion Fair was an annual event that we attended for over an entire decade of my youth. Each of my (2) sisters and myself were dolled up in our finest attire and sat totally entranced by the runway. One of my sisters began her modeling career (as a child) and then on into early adulthood. There will never be another Eunice Johnson. The angels in heaven wearing haute couture as I type.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Sheila W. on 1/06/2010 12:41AM
May the Lord Our God, sustain the Johnson family through these difficult days. Please know that Mrs. Eunice Johnson, will forever be remembered as an American Icon and Treasure for her contributions to the World of Fashion.....
Reply to this Comment | Report This