Black Women Billionaires & How They Made Their Money

Photo: Getty Images Many successful Black women have net worths in the millions of dollars, but very few have the rare distinction of being billionaires. Sheila Crump Johnson made history as America’s first Black female billionaire after co-founding Black Entertainment Television (BET) alongside her husband in 1980. After breaking the racial barrier and carving out a career as a successful multimillion-dollar entrepreneur in the sports space and hotel industry, her achievement made way for more Black women to gain recognition for running impactful businesses. Here are the incredible stories behind how these billionaire ladies made their money, including Black women in the United States and abroad: Oprah Winfrey Net Worth: $2.7 billion (Forbes, 2024) Photo: Getty Images Oprah Winfrey established herself as a household name thanks to her illustrious career in the entertainment industry, especially as a television personality. The decorated journalist-turned-media mogul’s production studio, Harpo Productions, not only facilitated her show but also had a hand in the original The Color Purple back in the 1980s. She also launched a successful cable channel with Warner Bros. Discovery in 2011, and the brand provided a variety of Black American programming. Forbes also credits her incredible wealth to her stake in...