Robert Johnson is owner of several firsts, of which these two stand out: the first Black billionaire worldwide*, and the first Black majority-owner of a US major league sports franchise.

Robert Louis Johnson made his fortune in broadcasting, as the founder of Black Entertainment Television, popularly known as BET.

It was groundbreaking in several respects, and quite lauded for bringing rich TV experiences to the Black and African community globally, a far cry from the absolute bullshit it now is.

He sold BET to Viacom in 2001, where the decline was initiated once all original programming became focused on reality television, and the making of fluff.

Still, Bob rode off into the sunset with his loot, which is good. In 2004, he used some of that money to purchase a controlling interest in the Charlotte Bobcats**, a new NBA franchise.

He is also founder of RLJ Companies.

*That is, the first non-dictator or governmental-thief dictator.
**He has since sold all of his ownership interest in the Bobcats to Michael Jordan.

Today’s Blaxploitation Movie is Cleopatra Jones (1973), starring Tamara Dobson, Bernie Casey, Don Cornelius, Frankie Crocker, Michael Warren, Antonio Fargas, and Brenda Sykes.

© 2002 – 2016, John Obeto for Blackground Media Unlimited

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