Robert L. Johnson
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Object Details
- Artist
- Simmie Knox, born 1935
- Sitter
- Robert Louis Johnson, born 1946
- Exhibition Label
- Born Hickory, Mississippi
- Robert Johnson is one of the most important television and entertainment industry businessmen of recent times, not least because he is African American. After graduating from the University of Illinois, Johnson held political and communications jobs in Washington, D.C. Seizing a business opportunity provided by the emerging cable market and serving his own community, Johnson launched Black Entertainment Television (BET) in 1979. The network was a hit, becoming the first majority African American enterprise listed on the New York Stock Exchange and selling for a reported three billion dollars in 2001. Johnson remained as BET’s head until 2006. He has subsequently devoted himself to politics, finance, philanthropy, and one-time ownership of the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats (the name was a play on Johnson’s first name), which is referenced in Simmie Knox’s portrait.
- Nacido en Hickory, Mississippi
- Robert Johnson es uno de empresarios más destacados en la industria de la televisión y el entretenimiento en tiempos recientes, y no menos por ser afroamericano. Luego de graduarse de la Universidad de Illinois, ocupó puestos relacionados con política y comunicaciones en Washington, D.C. En 1979, aprovechando el naciente mercado de la televisión por cable como oportunidad de hacer negocios y de servir a su propia comunidad, Johnson fundó Black Entertainment Television (BET). La cadena televisiva resultó un éxito, y fue la primera empresa de mayoría afroamericana que cotizó en la bolsa de valores de New York, vendiéndose por tres mil millones de dólares en 2001, según se reportó. Johnson permaneció a la cabeza de BET hasta 2006. Posteriormente se ha dedicado a la política, las finanzas, la filantropía y en un momento fue propietario del equipo Charlotte Bobcats, de la NBA. “Bob” es diminutivo de “Robert” en inglés, así que el nombre “Bobcats” aludía con humor a Johnson; Simmie Knox hace referencia a este hecho en el retrato.
- Provenance
- Simmie Knox; Robert L. Johnson / The RLJ Companies; purchased 2015 NPG.
- Credit Line
- National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Robert L. Johnson, Founder of Black Entertainment Television
- 2006
- Object number
- NPG.2015.137
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Copyright
- © Simmie Knox
- Type
- Painting
- Medium
- Oil on linen
- Dimensions
- Stretcher: 127 × 86.4cm (50 × 34")
- Frame: 144.5 × 104.1 × 8.9cm (56 7/8 × 41 × 3 1/2")
- Place
- United States\Maryland
- See more items in
- National Portrait Gallery Collection
- Location
- Currently not on view
- National Portrait Gallery
- Topic
- Interior\Office
- Costume\Headgear\Hat\Cap\Baseball cap
- Robert Louis Johnson: Male
- Robert Louis Johnson: Journalism and Media
- Robert Louis Johnson: Society and Social Change\Philanthropist
- Robert Louis Johnson: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Business executive\Broadcast executive
- Robert Louis Johnson: Sports and Recreation\Team owner\Basketball
- Portrait
- Record ID
- npg_NPG.2015.137
- Metadata Usage (text)
- Usage conditions apply
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm45ebd5e5c-55e8-4610-bdad-e1151711aa2e
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