Press Release
African American Lives - "African American Lives 2"
Participant biographies
AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES 2
LINDA JOHNSON RICE
AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES 2 reveals that Linda Johnson Rice’s great-great grandfather Nelson Johnson, his future wife and mother-in law were all enslaved alongside each other on Sunnyside Plantation, one of the largest in Arkansas.
A native of Chicago, Linda Johnson Rice is president and chief executive officer of Johnson Publishing Company, Inc. Publishers of Ebony and Jet magazines, Johnson Publishing Company is the number-one African-American publishing company in the world, and also owns Fashion Fair Cosmetics, number one in the world for makeup and skin care for women of color, and Ebony Fashion Fair, the world’s largest traveling fashion show.
A sought after speaker, Rice has delivered commencement speeches and spoken before dignitaries from both the U.S. and foreign countries. She has received national service appointments, including her participation in President Clinton’s Economic Summit and her work as a member of the United States Presidential Delegation to the Inauguration of His Excellency Nelson Mandela, President of South Africa.
In recognition of her leadership and achievements, the Chicago Sun-Times named Rice among Chicago’s 100 Most Powerful Women and the Top 10 Women in Media. She has received the Women of Power Award from the National Urban League and was included in Crain’s Chicago Business lists of 40 Under 40 and 100 Most Influential Women. Working Woman magazine included Rice and Johnson Publishing Company among the Top 500 Women-Owned Businesses.
Rice holds a B.A. in journalism from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management. She is married to Mel Farr Sr. and has one daughter, Alexa Christina Rice.
AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES 2
LINDA JOHNSON RICE
AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES 2 reveals that Linda Johnson Rice’s great-great grandfather Nelson Johnson, his future wife and mother-in law were all enslaved alongside each other on Sunnyside Plantation, one of the largest in Arkansas.
A native of Chicago, Linda Johnson Rice is president and chief executive officer of Johnson Publishing Company, Inc. Publishers of Ebony and Jet magazines, Johnson Publishing Company is the number-one African-American publishing company in the world, and also owns Fashion Fair Cosmetics, number one in the world for makeup and skin care for women of color, and Ebony Fashion Fair, the world’s largest traveling fashion show.
A sought after speaker, Rice has delivered commencement speeches and spoken before dignitaries from both the U.S. and foreign countries. She has received national service appointments, including her participation in President Clinton’s Economic Summit and her work as a member of the United States Presidential Delegation to the Inauguration of His Excellency Nelson Mandela, President of South Africa.
In recognition of her leadership and achievements, the Chicago Sun-Times named Rice among Chicago’s 100 Most Powerful Women and the Top 10 Women in Media. She has received the Women of Power Award from the National Urban League and was included in Crain’s Chicago Business lists of 40 Under 40 and 100 Most Influential Women. Working Woman magazine included Rice and Johnson Publishing Company among the Top 500 Women-Owned Businesses.
Rice holds a B.A. in journalism from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management. She is married to Mel Farr Sr. and has one daughter, Alexa Christina Rice.