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Sheila Johnson:
America’s First Black Woman
Billionaire
Interviewed
by
Kam Williams
Entrepreneur and philanthropist
Sheila Crump Johnson is the only
African-American female to enjoy
ownership in three professional
sports teams: the WNBA’s
Washington Mystics, the NBA’s
Washington Wizards and the NHL’s
Washington
Capitals. Furthermore, as CEO of
Salamander Hospitality, a
company she founded in 2005, Ms.
Johnson oversees a growing
portfolio of luxury properties,
including Woodlands Inn, in
Summerville, SC, which is one of
only a handful of properties to
receive both a prestigious
Forbes Five Star rating and a
AAA Five Diamond rating for
lodging and dining.
In 2007, she acquired Innisbrook,
a Salamander Golf & Spa Resort.
Set on 900 acres, this 72-hole
Florida getaway hosts the PGA
Tour’s annual Transitions
Championship and the LPGA
Legends Tour Open Championship.
The company is also building the
eagerly-anticipated Salamander
Resort & Spa, nestled in the
foothills of the Blue Ridge
Mountains in charming
Middleburg, VA.
In addition, Johnson is a
partner in ProJet Aviation, a
company specializing in aviation
consulting, aircraft
acquisitions, management, and
charter services based in
Winchester, VA. And she is a
partner in Mistral, a maker of
fine bath, body and home
products.
Ms. Johnson has long been a
powerful influence in the
entertainment industry as a
founding partner of Black
Entertainment Television (BET)
and, most recently, as a film
producer. In partnership with
other investors, her first film,
Kicking It, premiered at
the 2008 Sundance Film
Festival. She executive produced
her second film,
A Powerful
Noise, which premiered at
the 2008 TriBeCa Film Festival
in New York, as well as her
third film, She Is The
Matador.
In 2006 she was named global
ambassador for CARE, a leading
humanitarian organization
fighting poverty worldwide by
empowering women since they are
in a pivotal position to help
their communities escape
poverty. “Sheila’s I Am Powerful
Challenge” was instrumental in
raising funds for this important
work.
A fervent supporter of the arts
and education, she was recently
appointed by Barack Obama to the
President’s Committee on the
Arts and the Humanities and
serves as Chair of the Board of
Governors of Parsons The New
School for Design in New York.
She sits on the boards of
Americans for the Arts, the
Jackie Robinson Foundation, the
Tiger Woods Foundation, the
University of Virginia Curry
School of Education, Howard
University, the University of
Illinois Foundation, and is a
member of the Council on Foreign
Relations.
An accomplished violinist, Ms.
Johnson received a Bachelor of
Arts in music from the
University of Illinois, as well
as honorary degrees from
numerous other institutions. Ms.
Johnson, who lives in
Middleburg, VA, is a mother of
two, and remarried to the
Honorable William T. Newman, Jr.
Here, she talks about her new
film, The Other City, an
expose’ about the HIV/AIDS
crisis in Washington, DC which
recently premiered at the 2010
TriBeCa Film Festival.
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Kam Williams:
Hi, Ms. Johnson, it’s an honor
to speak with you.
Sheila Johnson:
Thanks, Kam, how are you?
KW:
Fine thanks. I saw The Other
City and loved it, and I
told my readers I’d be
interviewing you, so I have
plenty of questions to get to.
SJ:
Oh, great!
KW:
Reverend Florine Thompson asks,
what is it about HIV/AIDS
that prompted you to produce the
film?
SJ:
I
really wanted to do this film in
order to ignite the discussion,
and to reeducate. What has been
happening, that is so wrong
right now is that AIDS has
disappeared from the radar
screen. It’s no longer a
celebrity-driven cause anymore,
so I wanted to bring it back to
the people. I also wanted to
give dignity to the victims now
suffering with AIDS, so that
people can see not only that the
disease hasn’t gone away, but is
spreading at an alarming rate
and disproportionately affecting
African-American women. So, I
think we need to get out and
start educating young people,
and especially the black
churches need to be talking
about it from the pulpit. And
we, as a society, need to stop
hiding behind the stigma in
order to be able to give the
disease the platform we need to
start the reeducation process
and halt the increase in the
transmission rate.
KW:
2010 Florida State University
grad Laz Lyles would like to
know what was the most
surprising thing you’ve
discovered about the epidemic?
SJ:
How it has increasingly become a
heterosexual disease. The thing
I wished the movie had
emphasized more was how many
married women we now have coming
down with it. Their husbands are
bringing it home to them. I had
three women come up to me and
say that the only sin they
committed in life was getting
married. That’s very sad. The
other surprising thing we’re
finding is that AIDS is hitting
at a younger age, as young as 13
among gay males.
KW:
Lester Chisholm says that Urban
Prep, an African-American male
charter high school in Chicago
has a 100% college acceptance
rate, and it’s aiming for a 100%
college graduation rate. He
wonders whether we might
accomplish a 100% success rate
in the fight against AIDS, if we
adopted this same attitude for a
given population.
SJ:
I
think that we really could stop
this disease, if we seriously
educate our young people,
starting in junior high, and
continue delivering the message
in high schools and across
college campuses. I really do.
Meanwhile, scientists and
doctors are still working on
finding a cure, and some say
they’re getting closer and
closer. Between education and
research, we can stop it.
KW:
Larry Greenberg says, “I know
that in addition to your
enormous accomplishments in
business and philanthropy you
are a virtuoso violinist.” He
asks, “Do you still find time to
play?”
SJ:
I
don’t. I’m very ashamed about
that. My mother’s on me all the
time about that, and so, is my
husband. He always says, “You’re
such a great violinist. Why
don’t you keep playing?” I guess
what has happened is that
between raising a family and
trying to keep businesses afloat
I just do not have the time to
practice, because I’m such a
perfectionist. I suppose I could
make the time, even if I sat
down for just an hour every day,
but I’ve lost the discipline of
practice.
KW:
Rev Thompson asks, “Who has been
your role model along your
journey? Who or what has been
your source of inspiration in
life?”
SJ:
I’d have to say there have been
many, many people. Basically,
educators have been my role
models. There are two teachers
in particular, from high school
and college, who I stay in touch
with and talk to on about a
monthly basis. And as I’ve
gotten older, there have been
more and more people I’ve met in
life who’ve become role models.
Four years ago, I remarried, and
my husband is one of the most
inspiring men I’ve ever met.
He’s a Chief Judge, and I just
love to watch him on the bench
to observe how he tries to find
a silver lining in the most
hardened of criminals in order
to give them a second chance.
Another person I admire is the
President of the University of
Illinois, Joe White, who I think
is brilliant. He’s always giving
me terrific advice on different
issues. I am lucky to have a lot
of extraordinary friends who
really do help me including, of
course, my mother, who’s living
with me now. She was there from
the beginning, and even at the
age of 87, she’s still
constantly pushing me forward,
encouraging me with, “You can do
it!” and “Don’t give up!”
KW:
Reverend Thompson asks, “What
would you like to accomplish
that you haven’t already?”
SJ:
I’m in the third act of my life
with this hospitality company,
Salamander. The one thing I
really want to do is to continue
to build this resort that I’ve
been working on in Middleburg,
Virginia. My goal is to get it
finished and open. It’s been a
seven-year battle for me,
because I very naively built
south of the Mason-Dixon Line. I
didn’t realize that there was
still this much racial tension
in the country. I was very naïve
about it. Racism smacked me
right in the face while doing
this project, but I did not want
to lose this war.
KW:
So, I guess the rumors I’ve heard about what you’ve encountered are
true.
SJ:
It was unbelievable… the death
threats… you have no idea.
KW:
Did you regret endorsing
Republican Bob McDonnell for
Governor of Virginia, given that
after he won the election he
issued a proclamation declaring
April Confederate History Month?
SJ:
Yep, I think I’ve been thrown
under the bus. It was quite an
embarrassment. My husband had
warned me, too. The one thing I
learned from this experience is
that I will never get involved
in politics again on either
side. I’m declaring myself an
independent. I was just shocked.
A group of us, including the
President of Hampton University
plan to meet with the Governor
soon to discuss it.
KW:
Yale grad Tommy Russell says,
"Since you're a former media
executive, what do you think
about Comcast's move to buy a
controlling stake in
NBC/Universal—good move or bad
move from NBC's perspective?"
SJ:
Well, I will tell you that not
only print, but all media are
struggling right now. These are
business decisions that only the
people running the company can
really answer. Those on the
outside shouldn’t be too
judgmental about these mergers.
There are reasons why they’re
happening, and it’s really for
the survival of the market.
KW:
From Reverend Thompson again:
What most informs your
spirituality?
SJ:
I
have always been a strong
Christian? Growing up, I never
missed church. I’m not as good
about going right now, because
I’m always travelling so much.
But I pray every day… before I
get out of bed…and when I go to
bed at night. I have a very
strong spiritual core.
KW:
Finally, the Rev asks, what
advice would you give a young
lady who seeks the level of
success you've attained?
SJ:
Stay humble. Don’t ever, ever
take anything for granted in
life. Don’t assume anything.
It’s is very important to have
love and passion for whatever
you do.
KW:
Is there any question no one
ever asks you, that you wish
someone would?
SJ:
[Chuckles] I wish someone would
ask me to be an ambassador
someday.
KW:
The Tasha Smith question: Are you ever afraid?
SJ:
Yes, there are times when I’m
afraid. Just building that hotel
in Middleburg made me fearful on
many different levels.
Sometimes, I get anxious. One of
my biggest problems is that I
tend to get very impatient,
especially during this
recession. I’m a little bit
afraid about the economy,
because it really does affect
everyone, and you just don’t
know what’s going to happen.
KW:
The Columbus Short question: Are you happy?
SJ:
I
am very happy. I have reached a
point in my life where I feel
safe for the first time. In my
personal life, I have lots of
friends, and I’ve learned to be
comfortable with myself, and I
don’t feel the need to prove
anything. I’m following my
passion, and I wake up everyday
wanting to do more.
KW:
The bookworm Troy Johnson
question: What was the last book
you read?
SJ:
Game Change.
KW:
The music maven Heather
Covington question: What are you
listening to on your iPod?
SJ:
It depends on my mood. I tend to
listen to a lot of jazz. If I’m
going to bed at night, I might
listen to classical music, but I
do like jazz.
KW:
What is your favorite dish to
cook?
SJ:
Anything that is Italian. Pasta
is my favorite food in the
world.
KW:
The Teri Emerson question: When
was the last time you had a good
laugh?
SJ:
[LOL] I laugh every day. Let me
think of the funniest thing that
happened recently... My husband
is a very funny man for a judge.
He just told me a joke that I
can’t remember, but he keeps me
laughing all the time.
KW:
The Ling-Ju Yen question: What
is your earliest childhood
memory?
SJ:
It would be my first day of
school in kindergarten. I was
sitting in the classroom, and
the little boy across the table
made pee-pee on my foot, and
I’ll never forget that.
[Chuckles]
KW:
When you look in the mirror, what do you see?
SJ:
Oh, I see a woman that is aging
gracefully, who’s happy, and
seems to be at peace with
herself.
KW:
If you could have one wish
instantly granted, what would
that be for?
SJ:
To recover from this recession
and have my hotel opened.
KW:
The Uduak Oduok question: Who is
your favorite clothes designer?
SJ:
Donna Karan.
KW: The Laz Alonso question: How can your fans help you?
SJ:
By, instead of asking for a
handout, offering to help me
help others.
KW:
How do you want to be
remembered?
SJ:
As a woman who was always
generous, not only with her
pocketbook, but with her heart.
KW:
Well, thank you for being so
generous with your time,
thoughts and feelings here. I
really appreciate it.
SJ:
You are so welcome.
* * * *
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Sheila Crump Johnson (born 1949)
is the team president, managing partner, and governor of the
WNBA's
Washington Mystics, a position she gained before the 2005 season. On May
24, 2005, Washington Sports and Entertainment Chairman,
Abe Pollin, sold the Mystics to Lincoln Holdings LLC, where Johnson
served as president. She is the first African-American woman to be an owner
or partner in three professional sports franchises: the
Washington Capitals (NHL), the
Washington Wizards (NBA), and the
Washington Mystics (WNBA). Johnson currently serves as CEO of Salamander
Hospitality, a company she founded in 2005. Salamander's portfolio includes:
The Woodlands Resort & Inn, in Summerville, SC; The
Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club, a 900-acre (3.6 km2), 72 hole
PGA tour golf course in Palm Harbor, FL; and The Salamander Resort & Spa
in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Middleburg, VA. (opening date: Spring 2012).
The Woodlands Resort & Inn was recently sold to Charleston attorney Johnny
Linton, but is still managed by Salamander. . . .
For 33 years from 1969–2002, she was
married to
Robert L. Johnson. Together they made their fortune by founding the
entertainment network
BET. They sold the company to
Viacom in 1999. They have two children: daughter Paige (1986), an
accomplished equestrian; and son Brett (1990).
In a recent interview, Sheila Johnson
said she herself is "ashamed" of what the BET has become. “I don’t watch it.
I suggest to my kids that they don’t watch it," she said. “When we started
BET, it was going to be the
Ebony magazine on television. We had public affairs programming. We had
news... I had a show called
Teen Summit, we had a large variety of programming, but the problem is
that then the video revolution started up... And then something started
happening, and I didn’t like it at all. And I remember during those days we
would sit up and watch these videos and decide which ones were going on and
which ones were not. We got a lot of backlash from recording artists...and
we had to start showing them. I didn’t like the way women were being
portrayed in these videos.”
After her divorce from Robert L.
Johnson in 2002, she was estimated to be worth about $670M. In 2009, Forbes
magazine estimated her net worth to be $400 million She lives in
Wellington, Florida. Her mother Barbara Crump passed away on November 2,
2006 at the age of 91. On September 24, 2005, she married Arlington County
Circuit Court Chief Judge William T. Newman, who presided over her divorce
from Robert L. Johnson in 2003.—Wikipedia
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Trailer for The Other City
Sheila Johnson, Marrying Very
Well /
Top 10 Wealthiest Black
Americans
Sheila Johnson's fight against
HIV in DC
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The New Color of
Success
Twenty Young Black
Millionaires Tell
You How They're
Making It
By Niki Butle
Mitchell
The New Color of
Success
accomplishes the
feat of educating
what I hope will be
a large
multicultural
readership about the
talent we have
always known exists
in our community,
while providing role
models and
inspiration for
everyone.—Earl
G. Graves, founder,
editor, and
publisher of
Black Enterprise
magazine
This book is a must
read for those who
understand that the
challenges of the
twenty-first century
will be both
DuBois's color line
and the
post-industrial
dollar sign.—Julianne
Malveaux, economist
and author of
Wall Street, Main
Street, and the Side
Street |
Throughout my career, economic
empowerment for African
Americans has been one of my
primary goals. It is rewarding
to see the fruits of generations
of struggle manifested in a book
of this nature.—Congressman
John Conyers, Jr.
"This is powerful stuff?a bible
for folks of color who possess
the guts, vision, and tenacity
to build viable businesses and
significant personal wealth.—Blair
S. Walker, author of
Why Should White Guys Have
All the Fun? and
Up Jumped the Devil.
* *
* * *
It Aint
My Fault by Mos Def & Lenny Kravitz
Bill Moyers and James Cone (Interview) /
A Conversation with James Cone
John
Coltrane, "Alabama" /
Kalamu ya Salaam, "Alabama"
/
A Love Supreme
A Blues for the Birmingham Four
/ Eulogy for the Young Victims
/ Six Dead After Church
Bombing
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Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in
America
By Melissa V.
Harris-Perry
According to the
author, this society has historically exerted
considerable pressure on black females to fit into one
of a handful of stereotypes, primarily, the Mammy, the
Matriarch or the Jezebel. The selfless
Mammy’s behavior is marked by a slavish devotion to
white folks’ domestic concerns, often at the expense of
those of her own family’s needs. By contrast, the
relatively-hedonistic Jezebel is a sexually-insatiable
temptress. And the Matriarch is generally thought of as
an emasculating figure who denigrates black men, ala the
characters Sapphire and Aunt Esther on the television
shows Amos and Andy and Sanford and Son, respectively.
Professor Perry
points out how the propagation of these harmful myths
have served the mainstream culture well. For instance,
the Mammy suggests that it is almost second nature for
black females to feel a maternal instinct towards
Caucasian babies. As for the source
of the Jezebel, black women had no control over their
own bodies during slavery given that they were being
auctioned off and bred to maximize profits. Nonetheless,
it was in the interest of plantation owners to propagate
the lie that sisters were sluts inclined to mate
indiscriminately.
|
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Super Rich: A Guide to Having it All
By Russell Simmons
Russell Simmons knows firsthand that
wealth is rooted in much more than the
stock
market. True wealth has more to do with
what's in your heart than what's in your
wallet. Using this knowledge, Simmons
became one of America's shrewdest
entrepreneurs, achieving a level of
success that most investors only dream
about. No matter how much material gain
he accumulated, he never stopped lending
a hand to those less fortunate. In
Super Rich, Simmons uses his rare
blend of spiritual savvy and
street-smart wisdom to offer a new
definition of wealth-and share timeless
principles for developing an unshakable
sense of self that can weather any
financial storm. As Simmons says, "Happy
can make you money, but money can't make
you happy." |
* *
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The White Masters of the
World
From
The World and Africa, 1965
By W. E. B. Du Bois
W. E. B. Du Bois’
Arraignment and Indictment of White Civilization
(Fletcher)
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Ancient African Nations
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If you like this page consider making a donation
* * * * *
Negro Digest /
Black World
Browse all issues
1950
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
____ 2005
Enjoy!
* * * * *
The Death of Emmett Till by Bob Dylan
/
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
/
Only a Pawn in Their Game
Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson Thanks America for
Slavery
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The Journal of Negro History issues at Project Gutenberg
The
Haitian Declaration of Independence 1804
/
January 1, 1804 -- The Founding of
Haiti
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ChickenBones Store
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posted 25
May 2010
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