Richest African Americans 2012 – Forbes Wealthiest Black Americans
Oprah Winfrey is the richest African-American and one of the most remunerative brands in the world. Winfrey tops the initial Forbes list of the Wealthiest Black American. She is the only African-American billionaire on the Forbes’ 2012 Billionaires list. Black Entertainment Television owners Robert Johnson was the initial African American billionaire in 2000 after after he sole the network to Viacom ( VIA – news – people ) for $3 billion in batch and insincere debt.
#1.Oprah Winfrey
Net worth: $2.7 billion As of Mar 2012
How she made her money: Television, self-made
Education: BA/BS, Tennessee State University
The black of daytime TV is now the black of cable. Winfrey’s OWN hire launched in the commencement of 2011. In further to her wire channel, Winfrey in overseeing the final deteriorate of her syndicated show, a repository and Harpo productions. She also started a propagandize for girls in South Africa. Winfrey has 5.2 million supporters on Twitter.
Her Harpo Productions helped create the likes of Dr. Phil and Rachael Ray. She’s constructed Broadway shows and has her own satellite radio channel and recently launched Oprah Winfrey Network(OWN). For all of this, she consistently earns some-more than $225 million a year.
#2. Sean “Diddy” Combs
Net Worth: $550 million As of Apr 2012
How he made his money: Rapper, record producer, actor, conform engineer and businessman
Diddy’s business ventures, along with his career as a rapper, have made him the richest rapper on the planet,built happening customarily by wardrobe line Sean John, record label Bad Boy and Ciroc vodka. Acting gigs, radio shows and guest appearances supplement to coffers.Diddy was crowned 2011 wealthiest artist in hip-hop, with a happening of $475 million. The “Hello Good Morning” rapper kick Jay-Z, who has an estimated resources of $450 million, to explain the tip mark in Forbes 2011 – Top 5 Wealthiest Hip Hip Artists .
#3. Robert Johnson
Estimated net worth: $550 million As of May 2009
How he made his money: BET, investments
The initial African-American billionaire’s happening forsaken when the retrogression beaten media and hotel markets . He founded wire channel Black Entertainment Television (BET) in 1979 with $15,000 of his own income and a $500,000 investment by wire aristocrat John Malone’s Tele-Communications Inc. He became the initial African-American billionaire in 2000 after offered BET to Viacom for $3 billion in batch and insincere debt. His former mom and BET co-founder, Sheila Johnson, took big cube of the happening in 2002 divorce.
#4. Tiger Woods
Net worth: $500 million As of Sep 2010
How he made his money: Golf, endorsements
Woods assumes $130 million in career esteem income and $900 million in income from endorsements, coming fees and golf march pattern business since 1996. His agents, the taxation male and recently divorced mom Elin Nordegren have all gotten pieces of those earnings. But he will make it to 10 total if he starts winning again and sponsors return.
#4. Michael Jordan
Net worth: $500 million As of Sep 2010
How he made his money: Basketball, Nike, endorsements
Former Chicago Bulls consternation warranted $90 million in income during his personification career. Most of his happening now derives from publicity deals with his biggest sponsor, Nike; he lifted his interest in the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats to 80% this year.
#4. Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jr.
Net worth: $500 million As May 2009
How he made his money: Restaurants, genuine estate, investments
Retired American veteran basketball after announcing he had engaged HIV, became an entrepreneur. Introduced well-known brands to ethnically different neighborhoods around Magic Johnson Enterprises. Today has partnerships with Starbucks, 24 Hour Fitness, T.G.I. Fridays, AMC Theatres. Also invests in civic genuine estate and companies catering to America’s underserved markets around his Canyon-Johnson and Yucaipa-Johnson funds. Has awarded some-more than $1.1 million to community-based organizations that concentration on HIV/AIDS preparation and prevention.
#7. Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter
Net Worth: $460 million As of Apr 2012
How he made his money: Rapper, songwriter,entrepreneur, co-owner of the New Jersey Nets
’99 Problems’ rapper and Beyonce’s father sole Rocawear wardrobe label for $204 million in 2007; sealed 10-year $150 million Live Nation understanding in 2008. Now boasts an considerable portfolio, including shares in the New Jersey Nets as good as his submit in fashion, song and grill businesses.
#8. William Henry Cosby, Jr.
Net worth: $450 million+ As of May 2009
How he made his money: The Cosby Show, entertainment
Legendary comedian, left high propagandize in 10th grade; finished around association march while in the Navy. Broke a long-standing secular separator when he was expel as an equal to a white actor on NBC’s “I Spy” in the 1960s; purpose as Alexander Scott garnered him 3 Emmy Awards.Returned to the tiny shade 1984; launched The Cosby Show on NBC, moving the network to initial place. Iconic show about an upper-middle-class black family vital in New York has made him hundreds of millions in compensate and syndication dollars. Best-selling book Fatherhood sole 4 million copies. With wife, Camille, donated $20 million in 1988 to Spelman College in Atlanta . Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002 in approval of his contributions to American culture. Net value substantially higher.
#9. Sheila Johnson
Net worth: $400 million As May 2009
How she made her money: BET, investments
Co-founded Black Entertainment Television with former father Robert Johnson; integrate met in college at University of Illinois. Duo sole network to Viacom for $3 billion in batch and insincere debt; separate happening in divorce in 2002 after 33-year marriage. Today she is arch executive of Salamander LLC, which controls a portfolio of oppulance resorts. Through investment in Lincoln Holdings, owns interest in NHL’s Washington Capitals, NBA’s Washington Wizards, and WNBA’s Washington Mystics. Johnson is the Mystics’ boss and handling partner.
#10. Tyler Perry
Net worth: $350 million As of Sep 2010
How he made his money: Actor, author, screenwriter, film director, museum producer, museum director, radio director, playwright, film producer, radio producer
Perry writes, leads and stars in his work (which has a huge public with black Americans), owns his dual TBS sitcoms (House of Payne and Meet the Browns) and negotiates a cut of his movies’ earnings. He non-stop his own studio in 2008 and recently purchased a 58-acre estate in the Atlanta area for $7.6 million.Tyler was ranked #17 on Vanity Fair Magazine – 2011 Hollywood’s highest-paid stars.
#10. R. Donahue Peebles
Net worth: $350 million As of May 2009
How he made his money: Real estate
Grandson of a hotel doorman. Owns one of the country’s largest African-American genuine estate growth companies; Peebles Corporation’s portfolio includes hotels, apartments and bureau space in Miami Beach and Washington, D.C. “Don” left Rutgers University in 1979 to turn a genuine estate representative in the District of Columbia. Worked on Capitol Hill as a page and an novice for congressmen John Conyers and Ron Dellums while attending Capitol Page School. Authored dual books, The Peebles Principles and The Peebles Path to Real Estate Wealth.
#12. Berry Gordy, Jr.
Net worth: $325 million As May 2009
How he made his money: Motown, Jobete
Music colonize put divided his fighting gloves for songwriting at age 20. Borrowed $800 from relatives to build his own record label. Created Motown Records in Detroit. Wrote strike songs (“Lonely Teardrops,” “I’ll be Satisfied”), managed talent (Jackson 5, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder).
Known for using Motown’s record prolongation like an public line, emulating Detroit’s Big Three automobile companies; fought countless lawsuits brought by recording artists and songwriters alleging delinquent royalties around career. Sold Motown Records in 1988 for $61 million; after sole Jobete Music Corp. in installments to EMI Music Publishing for some-more than $300 million combined. Hit film Dreamgirls said to be loosely formed on Motown; Paramount Pictures and Dreamworks released an reparation to Gordy in 2007 for any difficulty the illusory story might have caused per Motown’s legacy.
#13.Quintin Primo III
Net worth: $300 million As of May 2009
How he made his money: Real estate
Harvard University MBA 1979. First financial gig in Citicorp’s genuine estate lending division. Founded Capri Capital in 1992 with childhood crony Daryl Carter. Early successes fluctuating passageway loans to tiny borrowers that larger firms didn’t worry to serve. Today portfolio dominated by unit complexes but projects are diverse: 3 years ago paid $136 million for Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza selling mall in southern Los Angeles. Assets underneath government was $4.3 billion in 2009.
#13. Beyoncé Giselle Knowles
Net worth: $300 million As of Dec 2010
2010 Earnings according to Forbes: $87 million
How she made her money:Singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, model, video director
Wife of hip-hop mogul,Jay-Z .Beyoncé continues to enhance her business sovereignty over music. Endorsement deals with companies trimming from Nintendo to L’Oreal and her flourishing House of Dereon conform line move in millions of dollars per year on tip of the $86 million she grossed from a 93-stop universe tour.
Knowles was also listed at series dual on forbes list of the 100 Most Powerful and Influential Celebrities in the universe and subsequently incited out to be the best paid womanlike artist in 2010.
In Dec 2010, Forbes reported that Knowles warranted $87 million from Jan 2010 to Dec 2010 and eventually ranked her at the ninth place on its list of the “Hollywood’s 20 highest-earning group and women of 2010″. Knowles was the only artist to break the tip ten.
#15.Don King
Net worth: $280 million As May 2009
How he made his money: Boxing promotion
Entered fighting business while doing fundraising work in 1972 for a struggling Cleveland hospital. Accused of killing dual men; 1954 box ruled a pardonable homicide, 1966 box ruled manslaughter. Spent scarcely 4 years in prison. Asked Muhammad Ali to attend gift event,later assured Ali and George Foreman to let him foster their 1974 heavyweight championship bout. The “Rumble in the Jungle” in Zaire is remembered as one of the biggest fights of all time. His biggest success was fighting badboy Mike Tyson.
King privately pocketed $15 million in MGM stock; shares fast doubled in value, King sold. Promoted Tyson and Evander Holyfield’s barbarous 1997 bout; quarrel grossed $110 million. Tyson sued King a year after for $100 million accusing King of intrigue him out of earnings; staid for $14 million. Can still be seen at fights donning his signature braid while fluttering an American dwindle as he supports his fighters.
#16. Andre “Dr. Dre” Young
Net Worth: 
$260 million – As of Apr 2012
Earnings according to Forbes: 2011: $14 million, 2010: $17 million
Superproducer/rapper,Dr. Dre may not have put out a new manuscript in the final 10 years,but the rapper and writer has reaped the rewards from his business. He helped launch careers of Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent. Expanded resources with Aftermath record label, Beats headphones and HP laptop line. On 11th Aug 2011, Dr Dre reportedly sole 50% interest in Beats Electronics, the headphone association to Taiwanese smartphone builder HTC for £191 million ($310m).
#17. Janice Bryant Howroyd family
Net worth: $250 million As of May 2009
How she made her money: Staffing, investments
Fourth of 11 children; father was a director at a color factory, mom stayed home to lift the kids. Janice took pursuit as an partner at Billboard Magazine; left to start staffing organisation Act-1 in 1978 with $967 in assets and $533 in loans from family. Built adult customer bottom around word of mouth, cold calls. Today the practice services group generates annual revenues coming $1 billion. Donated $10 million to her alma mater, North Carolina Agricultural Technical State University, in 2004; gave another $10 million to University of Southern California in 2005.
#18.Herman J. Russell
Net worth: $200 million As of May 2009
How he made his money: Construction, genuine estate
Real estate and construction aristocrat schooled the building business at an early age; father was a plastering executive on construction projects. Herman bought a empty Atlanta lot at age 16; built initial property, a duplex. Founded executive H.J. Russell Plastering Co. in 1953; after renamed H.J. Russell Co. Helped build Georgia Dome and Turner Field. Annual sales approach $300 million. Family business: son Michael is arch executive, son Jerome is president. Also owns Concessions International; outfit provides food and libation services to airports. Daughter Donata Russell-Major is clamp chair. Largest owners of HUD-related properties in Georgia. Once owned stakes in pro basketball’s Atlanta Hawks and hockey’s Atlanta Flames. Now late from day-to-day management; focused on philanthropy.
#18. Ulysses Bridgeman, Jr.
Net worth: $200 million As May 2009
How he made his money: Construction, genuine estate
Former sharpened ensure for the Milwaukee Bucks incited his jaunty courage into a sprawling fast food empire. Raised in East Chicago, Ind.; father was a steelworker. “Junior” was picked in initial turn of the 1975 NBA breeze by the Los Angeles Lakers; soon traded to the Bucks with 3 others for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. . Bought 5 Wendy’s franchises to beget income while planning his subsequent career. Today controls 161 Wendy’s and 118 Chili’s restaurants. Total payroll: 11,000 managers, cashiers and cooks. Sales of holding association Manna Inc. in 2008: $530 million. Sits on house of PGA. Also owns tiny interest in Milwaukee soda bottler Black Bear Beverages.
[Source: Forbes]
Article Source: Celebrity
