received the Horatio Alger Award in 1981. and the Babson Medal in 1983 Johnson received an honorary Doctor of Commercial Science degree from College of the Holy Cross in 1975 and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Babson College in 1976. References 1927 births Living people People from Richton, Mississippi African-American businesspeople American cosmetics businesspeople Businesspeople from Chicago Businesspeople from Mississippi 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American people