Forbes BLK 50 2024

From Left: Todd McDonald, Asahi Pompey, Don Peebles. BY DANIEL BROWN, JAMEL TOPPIN, JAVIER IGNACIO, FOR FORBES The inaugural list of the most powerful, impactful and wealthiest Black Americans. By Jabari Young, Forbes Staff In 2009, Forbes ranked the Wealthiest Black Americans and the only billionaire on the list was Oprah Winfrey, then worth an estimated $2.7 billion. Among the 20 entrepreneurs, moguls, athletes and entertainers on that inaugural ranking was Robert Johnson, the cofounder of Black Entertainment Television (BET), then worth $550 million, Michael Jordan (then worth an estimated $525 million), Magic Johnson ($500 million) and Shaquille O’Neal ($130 million). Motown Records founder and music business icon Berry Gordy, 95, made the list with a fortune then estimated at $325 million as well as Bill Cosby (with a net worth of $450 million) and Ken Chenault, the first (and only) Black CEO of American Express, who was worth $125 million. The Wealthiest Black Americans list was powerful. It was intended to keep track of success in Black America and over the years, Forbes has remained committed to celebrating the achievements of Black entrepreneurs. In 2023, when Forbes launched the ForbesBLK platform, creating a new list of the wealthiest Black...