The late black media pioneer John H. Johnson will get a speaker series in his name at Howard University this month.

Johnson Publishing Company Chair Linda Johnson Rice, daughter of Johnson, will visit Howard University on Wednesday, Nov. 9, to launch the John H. Johnson Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurship Speaker Series.

“This endowed chair is a wonderful opportunity for the university to honor my father’s spirit and proud legacy by preparing the next generation of entrepreneurial trailblazers,” Johnson Rice said.

Johnson in 1945 founded the Johnson Publishing Company, which produced the iconic Ebony and Jet magazines.

Monique Greenwood, business innovator and owner of Akwaaba Bed & Breakfast Inns, journalist and former editor-in chief of Essence Magazine, will serve as the inaugural John H. Johnson Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurship at Howard University, which will be housed in the Cathy Hughes School of Communications.

“We are thrilled that Ms. Johnson Rice will share her family’s business success story cultivated over 71 years,” Greenwood said. “We know it will inspire the entrepreneurial aspirations of our students while providing proven strategies for business sustainability. The speaker series, like all the initiatives of the endowment, is designed to encourage innovation and promote business ownership within our community.”

In a Q&A format, Johnson Rice will discuss the unique challenges and rewards of owning a family business and how a business competes and adjusts with changing technology on her visit to the university.

This event, along with additional events and workshops in the speaker series, is free and open to the public. The series will also feature high-profile business owners to serve as entrepreneurs-in-residence.

“We are very proud of the longstanding relationship we have with Howard University and value the sincere ties we have with the historical institution,” Johnson Rice said.

“Howard University graduates have worked with Johnson Publishing Company in both the past and present, and the skills and talents they possess have helped to build the company to what it is today.”

The John H. Johnson Endowed Chair for Entrepreneurship was established by Johnson Publishing Company and the Johnson family in 2016.

According to a statement by Johnson Rice issued at its creation, the chair was launched “to strengthen a culture of entrepreneurial activity across the university among students, faculty, staff, alumni and community business owners.”

“This entrepreneurship education program enhances the mentorship received by students and trains them to build on the pioneering work and legacy of the late entrepreneur and publisher John H. Johnson,” said Howard University President Wayne A.I. Frederick.

Source: 

http://washingtoninformer.com/news/2016/nov/02/john-h-johnson-legacy-continued-howard-u/