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Ebony Memories



Image: A black-and-white photo of a person sitting outdoors, under a tree and sitting on a bench in front of a wood picket fence reading Ebony Magazine, June 6, 1950. University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, Austin History Center, Austin Public Library. Photographer: Neal Douglass.
The Johnson Publishing Company (JPC) released the first issue of Ebony Magazine on November 1, 1945. Since then, Ebony and other JPC publications, such as Jet Magazine, became an omnipresent beacon, document, and reflection of Black life in many people's homes, not only in Chicago but throughout the country and world. The publishing empire of John H. and Eunice Johnson has also been the topic of countless exhibitions, books, publications, and serves as a constant well of inspiration for artists, designers, photographers, journalists, and scholars.

To remember and celebrate its 75th anniversary, we are collecting stories and memories of Ebony and the presence of JPC in your life. We also want to hear about your experiences across the JPC legacy, anything from Jet Magazine to Negro Digest, Black World, the Johnson Publishing building on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, or the Ebony Fashion Fair.

You can submit your memories in written form, or upload an audio or video recording (5-minute limit). Written and audio responses can be shared anonymously.

As part of the Loss/Capture Project and leading up to November 1, 2020, we will share your stories on this website, the project's Instagram page (@losscaptureproject), and Sixty Inches From Center's website and social media platforms. Participants will be contacted for permission prior to any use outside the scope of this project.

We treasure your stories and know that these are precious, so please only share stories that you're comfortable sharing with us, our readers, and others like yourself who hold a special place in their memories for JPC.


> Submit your memories


Image: The June 18, 1953 cover of Jet Magazine featuring Sarah Lou Harris. The cover is green with white text and a black-and-white portrait of Harris, who is wearing a light top and looking directly into the camera. The cover has the following words: “Jet: The Weekly Negro News Maga…,” “A Johnson Publication, 15 cents,” “The truth about shotgun marriages,” and in black text, “Glamour queen of disc jockeys.” Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library. Photographer: Unknown. Image: A black-and-white photo of an Ebony Fashion Fair model posing on a runway in a flowing and flared out light-colored cape and skirt, with a button up blouse and hat, wearing leather boots, c. 1974. African American Photographs Collection, Tom and Ethel Bradley Center, California State University Northridge. Photographer: Guy Crowder. Image: A cover of Ebony Magazine featuring a potential Brandford Model, February 1949. The Ebony logo is white text on a red box against a blue background. The model in the image is wearing a red sweater, gloves, and a beige scarf. The words “In this issue: How I was cheated out of $500,000 by Beau Jack,” “Skiing: New Favorite as Negro Winter Sport,” and “30 cents.” Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library. Photographer: Unknown. Image: An advertisement for Virginia Slims in Ebony Magazine, May 1975. The image shows a person with a pink-lavender dress and a headscarf, hands raised and resting on their head, holding a cigarette with the words “You’ve come a long way, baby.” at the top in white letters. Richard W. Pollay Cigarette Ads Collection, UCSF Library. Designer: Philip Morris. Image: A black-and-white photo of an Ebony Fashion Fair model posing on a runway in a long dress and jacket, pulling it open, c. 1974. She’s looking off to the right, wearing a head wrap and earrings. African American Photographs Collection, Tom and Ethel Bradley Center, California State University Northridge. Photographer: Guy Crowder. Image: An orange flyer with black text for An Afternoon with Lerone Bennett, Jr. event with the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library Foundation, Inc, February, 20, 1983. There’s a profile photo portrait of Bennett with the words “Senior Editor, EBONY Magazine, Historian, and a list of books he’s authored. Indianapolis Public Library African American History Committee, Indianapolis Marion County Public Library. Designer: Unknown.