Ebony (magazine)

{{Short description|American lifestyle magazine}} {{Use American English|date=October 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}} {{Infobox magazine | title = Ebony | image_file =Ebony_June_1948_cover.jpg | image_caption = June 1948 cover featuring Jackie Robinson | previous_editor = {{hlist|Aldore Collier|Tracey Ferguson|Kyra Kyles|Kierna Mayo|Amy DuBois Barnett|Bryan Monroe}} | staff_writer = | frequency = Monthly | total_circulation = 1,333,421<ref>[https://www.statista.com/statistics/475279/african-american-magazines-circulation/ Circulation of select African American magazines in the United States in 2nd half 2015, by type (in thousands)], statista.com. Retrieved April 21, 2020.</ref> | circulation_year = 2017 | founder = John H. Johnson | category = Lifestyle magazine | company = Ebony Media Operations, LLC (2016–present) Johnson Publishing Company (1945–2016) | firstdate = {{start date and age|1945|11|1}}<ref>{{cite web | date = October 29, 2010 | first = Sharon |last=Shahid | title = 65 Years Ago in News History: The Birth of Ebony Magazine | url = http://www.newseum.org/news/2010/10/65-years-ago-in-news-history-the-birth-of-ebony-magazine.html | website = Newseum.org | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127002519/http://newseum.org/news/2010/10/65-years-ago-in-news-history-the-birth-of-ebony-magazine.html |archive-date=January 27, 2013 }}</ref> | country = United States | based = Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. (2020–present) Los Angeles, California, U.S.<ref>{{cite web | date = May 5, 2017 |first = Robert |last=Channick | title = Ebony cuts a third of its staff, moving editorial operations to LA | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-ebony-moving-editorial-la-0506-biz-20170505-story.html | website = Chicagotribune.com | access-date = June 8, 2019}}</ref> (2017–2020) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. (1945–2017) | language = English | website = {{Official URL}} | issn = 0012-9011 | oclc = 1567306 }} '''''Ebony''''' is a monthly American lifestyle magazine that focuses on the lifestyles and accomplishments of influential black people, fashion, beauty, and politics.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Barnett |first1=Marlo |last2=Flynn |first2=Joseph E. |title=A Century of Celebration: Disrupting Stereotypes and Portrayals of African Americans in the Media |journal=Black History Bulletin |date=2014 |volume=77 |issue=2 |pages=28–33 |doi=10.1353/bhb.2014.0005 |id={{Project MUSE|814089}} |jstor=10.5323/blachistbull.77.2.0028 |s2cid=245659860 }}</ref><ref name="sat">{{cite journal |last1=Krishnan |first1=Satya P. |last2=Durrah |first2=Tracy |last3=Winkler |first3=Karen |title=Coverage of AIDS in Popular Black American Magazines |journal=Health Communication |date=July 1997 |volume=9 |issue=3 |pages=273–288 |doi=10.1207/s15327027hc0903_5 }}</ref><ref>https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ebony-American-magazine</ref>

''Ebony'' was founded in Chicago in 1945 by John H. Johnson, for his Johnson Publishing Company. He sought to address African-American issues, personalities and interests in a positive and self-affirming manner.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wormley |first1=J. Carlyne |first2=Barbara |last2=Heinzerling |first3=Virginia |last3=Gunn |title=Uncovering history: An examination of the impact of the Ebony Fashion Fair and Ebony magazine |journal=Consumer Interests Annual |volume=44 |year=1998 |pages=148–150 |url=https://www.consumerinterests.org/assets/docs/CIA/CIA1998/wormleyheinzerlinggunn.pdf }}</ref> Its cover photography typically showcases African-American public figures, including entertainers and politicians, such as Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, former U.S. senator Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois, U.S. first lady Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Tyrese Gibson, and Tyler Perry. Each year, ''Ebony'' selects the "100 Most Influential Blacks in America".<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n1_v48/ai_12811539 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070328193611/http://www.findarticles.com:80/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n1_v48/ai_12811539 |archive-date=28 March 2007 |title=From Negro Digest to Ebony, Jet and Em – Special Issue: 50 Years of JPC – Redefining the Black Image |date=November 1992 |magazine=Ebony }}</ref>

After 71 years, in June 2016, Johnson Publishing sold both ''Ebony'' and ''Jet'', another Johnson publication, to a private equity firm called Clear View Group. The new publisher is known as '''Ebony Media Corporation'''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=EL'Zabar |first=Kai |date=2016-06-16 |title=EBONY JET SOLD! |url=http://chicagodefender.com:80/2016/06/16/ebony-jet-sold/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617122507/http://chicagodefender.com:80/2016/06/16/ebony-jet-sold/ |archive-date=2016-06-17 |access-date=2016-07-21 |website=The Chicago Defender}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ember |first1=Sydney |last2=Fandos |first2=Nicholas |title=Pillars of Black Media, Once Vibrant, Now Fighting for Survival |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/03/business/media/black-owned-media-companies-struggle-to-adapt-to-a-digital-world.html |work=The New York Times |date=2 July 2016 }}</ref> After the publication went bankrupt in July 2020, it was purchased for $14 million by Junior Bridgeman in December 2020.

==History== ===1945–1969=== ''Ebony'' was founded by John H. Johnson in 1945. It was named by Johnson's wife, Eunice Walker Johnson, thinking of the dark wood.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hevesi |first1=Dennis |title=Eunice Johnson Dies at 93; Gave Ebony Its Name |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/business/media/10johnson.html |work=The New York Times |date=9 January 2010 }}</ref> It was patterned on the format of the magazine ''Life''.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Click |first1=J.W. |title=Comparison of Editorial Content of Ebony Magazine, 1967 and 1974 |journal=Journalism Quarterly |date=December 1975 |volume=52 |issue=4 |pages=716–720 |doi=10.1177/107769907505200416 |s2cid=145071337 }}</ref> ''Ebony'' published its first issue on November 1, 1945, with an initial press run of 25,000 copies that sold out completely.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-H-Johnson|title=John H. Johnson {{!}} American publisher|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en|access-date=December 9, 2019}}</ref> ''Ebony''<nowiki/>'s earlier content focused on African-American sports and entertainment figures, but began including black achievers and celebrities of different professions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ebony-American-magazine|title=Ebony {{!}} American magazine|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en|access-date=December 9, 2019}}</ref> [[File:Blanche-j-lawrence ebony February 1949.png|thumb|Blanche J. Lawrence, "Atom Scientists", ''Ebony'', September 1949]] The editors wrote in the first issue: <blockquote>We like to look at the zesty side of life. Sure, you can get all hot and bothered about the race question (and don't think we don't), but not enough is said about all the swell things we Negroes can do and will accomplish. Ebony will try to mirror the happier side of Negro life – the positive, everyday achievements from Harlem to Hollywood. But when we talk about race as the No. 1 problem of America, we'll talk turkey.<ref name=NYTS>{{cite news |last1=Shipp |first1=E. R. |title=Ebony, 40, Viewed as More Than a Magazine |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/06/us/ebony-40-viewed-as-more-than-a-magazine.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=6 December 1985 }}</ref></blockquote>

During the 1960s, ''Ebony'' increasingly covered the civil rights movement. Articles were published about political events happening all over the U.S. where activists protested racial violence and advocated for increasing social mobility for African Americans across the diaspora. Also published was content about the Black Power movement. In 1965, executive editor Lerone Bennett Jr. wrote a recurring column entitled "Black Power", which featured an in-depth profile of Stokely Carmichael in 1966.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=West |first1=James |title=Power is 100 years old: Lerone Bennett Jr., Ebony magazine and the roots of black power |journal=The Sixties |date=2 July 2016 |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=165–188 |doi=10.1080/17541328.2016.1241601 |s2cid=151966947 }}</ref> ''Ebony'' also commemorated historical events that contributed to black citizenship and freedom such as the September 1963 issue that honored the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/ebony-magazine/|title=Ebony Magazine • BlackPast|last=Glasrud|first=Bruce|date=September 18, 2007|website=BlackPast|language=en-US|access-date=December 9, 2019}}</ref>

===1969–1985=== ''Ebony''<nowiki/>'s design and content began to shift in the late–1960s and early–1970s. A new level of competition for subscribers and readers began during the 1970s. Due to the emergence of new African-American oriented magazines such as ''Essence'', ''Ebony'' began to cover more political activism and achievements in the 1970s. The February 1971 cover featured 13 black congressmen and women. ''Ebony'' highlighted the black professionals serving in Jimmy Carter's administration in the March 1977 issue.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Anderson |first1=Mia L. |title='I Dig You, Chocolate City': Ebony and Sepia Magazines' Coverage of Black Political Progress, 1971–1977 |journal=Journal of African American Studies |date=December 2015 |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=398–409 |doi=10.1007/s12111-015-9309-x |s2cid=152126803 }}</ref>

===1985–2005=== ''Ebony'' reached unprecedented levels of popularity, with marketers estimating that ''Ebony'' reached more than 40% of the African-American adults in the United States during the 1980s, a feat unmatched by any other general–interest magazine at the time.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Staples |first1=Brent |title=The Radical Blackness of Ebony Magazine |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/11/opinion/ebony-jet-magazine.html |work=The New York Times |date=11 August 2019 }}</ref> Beginning in the mid-1970s, advertisers created customized ads which featured African-American models using their products.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Pollay |first1=Richard W. |last2=Lee |first2=Jung S. |last3=Carter-Whitney |first3=David |title=Separate, but Not Equal: Racial Segmentation in Cigarette Advertising |journal=Journal of Advertising |date=March 1992 |volume=21 |issue=1 |pages=45–57 |doi=10.1080/00913367.1992.10673359 }}</ref> In 1985, ''Ebony Man'', a monthly men's magazine was created, printing the first issue in September 1985.<ref name="sat" /> By ''Ebony''{{'}}s 40th anniversary in November 1985, it had a circulation of 1.7 million.<ref name=NYTS/>

===2005–present=== In December 2008, Google announced that it was scanning back issues for Google Book Search. As of that date, all issues from November 1959 to December 2008 were made available free.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/search-and-find-magazines-on-google.html|title=Search and find magazines on Google Book Search|first=Dave |last=Foulser|date=December 9, 2008|access-date=January 3, 2009}}</ref>

In 2010, the Johnson Publishing Company sold its historic building at 820 S. Michigan Avenue in Chicago's South Loop to Columbia College Chicago. The same year, ''Ebony'' was redesigned to update its longtime brand. In the past, ''Ebony'' was persistently upbeat, much like its postwar contemporary ''Life''. However, in the 21st century, ''Ebony'' featured more controversial content.

The November 2011 cover featured a pregnant Nia Long, reminiscent of the iconic image of actress Demi Moore portrayed naked while pregnant on a major magazine cover two decades before. Some of ''Ebony''′s more conservative readers objected to the cover, stating it was inappropriate to feature an unwed, pregnant woman on the cover. The cover made national headlines in ''US Weekly'' and in a five-minute segment on CNN. More recent issues questioned whether President Obama was still right for black America and whether biracial Americans need more acknowledgment in society.

In May 2016, Johnson Publishing, the family business that founded ''Ebony'' and ''Jet'', sold both publications to Texas-based private equity firm CVG Group for an undisclosed price.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2017-05-05 |title=Ebony cuts a third of its staff, moving editorial operations to LA |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2017/05/05/ebony-cuts-a-third-of-its-staff-moving-editorial-operations-to-la/ |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=Chicago Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref> Under CVG's ownership, ''Ebony'' struggled to find its footing, culminating in its 2017 move to lay off a third of its staff and move editorial operations to Los Angeles.<ref name=":0" />

In 2018, ''Ebony'''s publishing schedule was changed from being published monthly to a double issue published once each month. On May 24, 2019, CVG suspended the print edition, with the Spring 2019 issue the last to be printed.<ref name="YGY">{{cite web|first=Yvonne |last=de Salle|url=https://www.tinshingle.com/blog/ebony-magazine-in-flux-reportedly-burns-writers-huge-photo-archive-in-play |title=Ebony Magazine In Flux – Print Magazine Folds, Digital Seems To Continue|website=Tin Shingle|date=July 8, 2019|access-date=April 21, 2020}}</ref> Johnson Publishing filed for bankruptcy protections that same year.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Craig |first=Andrew |date=October 31, 2021 |title=Under new ownership, 'Ebony' magazine bets on boosting Black business |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/10/31/1049745857/under-new-ownership-ebony-magazine-bets-on-boosting-black-business |access-date=December 10, 2024 |website=NPR}}</ref> In December 2020, Milwaukee Bucks alum and Black businessman Junior Bridgeman bought ''Ebony'' and ''Jet'' for $14 million from CVG.<ref name=":1" /> Under Bridgeman, the publication stated its intention to pivot toward themes of financial literacy and building Black wealth.<ref name=":1" /> In March 2021, ''Ebony'' relaunched in a digital format.<ref>''Business Insider'', [https://www.businessinsider.com/eden-bridgeman-ebony-jet-magazine-relaunch-interview-2021-3 Eden Bridgeman Talks EBONY and JET relaunch], Interview, March 8, 2021</ref><ref>''The Root'', [https://thegrapevine.theroot.com/rebirth-of-an-icon-ebony-magazine-set-to-digitally-rel-1846381821 'Rebirth of an Icon': Ebony Magazine Set to Digitally Relaunch Today, No Plans for Print Just Yet], March 1, 2021</ref> In June 2024, it returned to Chicago for its Juneteenth celebration at Soho House.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Taylor |first1=Savannah M. |title=EBONY RETURNS TO ITS CHICAGO ROOTS FOR A JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION AT SOHO HOUSE |url=https://www.ebony.com/ebony-returns-to-its-chicago-roots-for-a-juneteenth-celebration-at-soho-house/ |website=Ebony |access-date=June 25, 2024}}</ref>

== Notable coverage == === 100 Most Influential Blacks === One of the most famous aspects ''Ebony'' was its list of "100 Most Influential Blacks". This list—which began in 1963, took a hiatus until 1971, and has continued on ever since—lists those who have made the greatest impact in the African-American community during the year. Most of those listed were well-educated, with 55 percent having completed a graduate degree.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Henry |first1=Charles P. |title=Ebony Elite: America's Most Influential Blacks |journal=Phylon |date=1981 |volume=42 |issue=2 |pages=120–132 |doi=10.2307/274717 |jstor=274717 }}</ref> However, some researchers have noted that black scholars, teachers, and higher-education administrators are rarely, if ever, included on the list.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Demeaning Stereotypes: Ebony's List of the Most Influential Black Americans |journal=The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education |date=1997 |issue=17 |pages=46–47 |doi=10.2307/2963216 |jstor=2963216 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cross |first1=Theodore |title=Ebony Magazine: Sometimes The Bell Curve's Best Friend |journal=The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education |date=1995 |issue=10 |pages=75–76 |doi=10.2307/2962770 |jstor=2962770 }}</ref> The list exclusively focuses on entertainment figures, politicians, philanthropists, and entrepreneurs.<ref>{{cite journal |title=No Interest in Black Scholars: The Tweedledum and Tweedledee of African-American Publishing |journal=The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education |date=2002 |issue=37 |pages=53–54 |doi=10.2307/3134282 |jstor=3134282 }}</ref>

The May 2001 "100+ Most Influential Black Americans" issue did not include a number of influential African Americans such as Thomas Sowell, Shelby Steele, Armstrong Williams, Walter Williams and, most notably, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. ''The Economist'' described the exclusion of Justice Thomas from the list as spiteful.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9905608 |title=Lexington: The school of very hard knocks |magazine=The Economist |date=2007-10-04 |access-date=2011-05-17}}</ref>

=== Coolest Black Family in America === In 2018, ''Ebony'' published a series highlighting Black families from across the United States with the intention of showcasing Black family dynamics.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ebony.com/life/coolest-black-family-america-coopers/|title=The Coolest Black Family in America No. 74: The Coopers|last=Dingle|first=Joycelyn|date=December 7, 2016|website=Ebony|access-date=December 7, 2016}}</ref>

=== 25 Coolest Brothers of All Time === In August 2008, ''Ebony'' had published a special eight-cover edition featuring the "25 Coolest Brothers of All Time". The lineup featured popular figures like Jay-Z, Barack Obama, Prince, Samuel L. Jackson, Denzel Washington, Marvin Gaye, Muhammad Ali and Billy Dee Williams.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chron.com/life/article/Ebony-magazine-honors-the-coolest-black-men-ever-1787788.php|title=Ebony magazine honors the 'coolest' black men ever|last=Sewing|first=Joy|date=July 9, 2008|website=Houston Chronicle|access-date=December 19, 2019}}</ref>

=== 65th-anniversary edition === In November 2010, ''Ebony'' featured a special 65th-anniversary edition cover featuring Taraji P. Henson, Samuel L. Jackson, Usher and Mary J. Blige. The issue included eight cover recreations from historic and iconic previous covers of ''Ebony''. Blair Underwood posed inside, as did Omar Epps and Jurnee Smollett. National Public Radio marked this anniversary edition as the beginning of redesign of ''Ebony''. Former White House social secretary Desiree Rogers, of the Obama administration, had become the chief executive officer.<ref name="corley">{{cite web|first=Cheryl|last=Corley|url=https://www.npr.org/2011/09/22/140676433/ebony-jet-parent-takes-a-bold-new-tack |title='Ebony,' 'Jet' Parent Takes A Bold New Tack|work=Morning Edition|publisher= NPR|date=September 22, 2011|access-date=August 6, 2025}}</ref>

==Ownership== In 2016, Johnson Publishing Company sold ''Ebony'' along with ''Jet'' to private equity firm Clear View Group.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-ebony-sold-0615-biz-20160614-story.html|title=Johnson Publishing sells Ebony, Jet magazines to Texas firm|last=Channick|first=Robert|newspaper=chicagotribune.com|access-date=January 27, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.northstarnewstoday.com/business/ebony-jet-magazines-sold/|title=Ebony and Jet magazines have been sold – Northstar News Today|date=June 15, 2016|newspaper=Northstar News Today|first=Frederick H. |last=Lowe|access-date=January 27, 2017|language=en-US|archive-date=November 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171122195859/http://www.northstarnewstoday.com/business/ebony-jet-magazines-sold/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2019-07-19/ebony-magazines-legendary-photo-archive-is-up-for-auction |title=Books {{!}} Ebony magazine's legendary photo archive is up for auction|newspaper=LA Times|first=Michael|last=Schaub|date=July 19, 2019|access-date= April 21, 2020}}</ref> In May 2017, the editorial staff moved from Chicago to Los Angeles along with the editorial staff for ''Jet'' magazine.<ref>{{cite news|first=Erick |last=Johnson |url=https://amsterdamnews.com/news/2017/05/31/ebony-magazine-moves-los-angeles/ |title=EBONY magazine moves to Los Angeles, Ebony Heads West, Leaves Chicago for Los Angeles|newspaper=New York Amsterdam News|date=May 31, 2017|access-date=August 6, 2025}}</ref> In December 2020, ''Ebony'' and its sister publication ''Jet''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blackenterprise.com/this-millennial-owner-bought-ebony-and-jet-for-14m-with-plans-to-bring-the-magazines-into-the-digital-era/|title=This Millennial Bought Ebony and Jet For $14M, Plans to Bring the Magazines Into the Digital Era|date=August 11, 2021|first=Dawn|last=Onley}}</ref> were purchased for $14 million by Junior Bridgeman.<ref>{{cite web|first=Cedric "Big Ced" |last=Thornton |url=https://www.blackenterprise.com/ebony-magazine-purchased-by-former-nba-player-ulysses-junior-bridgeman-for-14-million/ |title=Ebony Magazine Purchased by Former NBA Player Ulysses 'Junior' Bridgeman for $14 Million|website=Black Enterprise|date= December 23, 2020|access-date=December 27, 2020}}</ref>

==Ensuing financial difficulties== In July 2019, three months after Johnson Publishing Company filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy liquidation, it sold its historic photo archives including the prints and negatives to a consortium of foundations to be made available to the public.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ebony-and-jet-magazine-photo-archive/|title=Rare look inside the Ebony and Jet magazine photo archive that just sold for $30M|date=July 26, 2019|website=CBS News|language=en|access-date=July 27, 2019}}</ref><ref name="a&o">{{cite web|url=https://www.artandobject.com/shorts/foundations-unite-save-ebony-magazine-archives?|title=Foundations Unite to Save Ebony Magazine Archives|last1=Noyes|first1=Chandra|date=July 29, 2019|website=artandobject.com|publisher=Journalistic, Inc.|access-date=August 3, 2019}}</ref> After suspending the print edition in May 2019, Clear View Group and Ebony Media Operations laid off the majority of the editing staff in June 2019.<ref>{{cite web|first=N'dea |last=Yancey-Bragg|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/media/2019/06/21/ebony-magazine-digital-staff-layoffs/1506283001/ |title=Ebony magazine's digital staff abruptly laid off without pay as asset auction looms|website=USA Today|date= June 21, 2019|access-date=April 21, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Miana |last=Massey|url=https://www.thecharlottepost.com/news/2019/07/07/national/ebony-and-jet-magazines-fire-remainder-of-staff-may-close/ |title=Ebony and Jet magazines fire remainder of staff, may close, Legacy publications beset by financial issues|website=The Charlotte Post|date=July 7, 2019|access-date=August 6, 2025}}</ref>

===Lawsuits=== In 2017, 50 freelance writers created a social media campaign #EbonyOwes due to not being paid by the owner, Clear View Group. In response to the campaign, Clear View Group made an effort to pay 11 of the 50 writers $18,000, ending with only three being paid in full. In late 2017, the remaining writers with the help of The National Writers Union filed suit against Clear View Group and Ebony Media Operations.<ref name=YGY/>

The remaining writers settled their lawsuit with the company in February 2018. The ''Ebony'' owners were ordered to pay $80,000.<ref name=CHI>[https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-ebony-settles-freelancer-lawsuit-20180227-story.html "Ebony to pay freelancers $80,000 to settle lawsuit after #EbonyOwes campaign"], ''Chicago Tribune'', February 27, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2020.</ref> Ebony Media Operations, Clear View Group and the National Writers Union agreed that all unpaid invoices would be paid over four quarterly installments by the end of 2018.<ref name=CHI/> In October 2018, the ''Ebony'' owner missed its third quarter payment and another lawsuit was filed in November 2018. Clear View Group made the final payment to the writers in December 2018.<ref name=YGY/>

==See also== * ''Essence'' * ''Jet''

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{official website}} * [https://books.google.com/books?id=r9QDAAAAMBAJ Back issues on Google Book Search] * Langston Hughes, [https://archive.today/20070722095125/http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m1077/1_56/66455747/p1/article.jhtml "Publishing history of ''Ebony''"], ''Ebony'', November 1965 (20th Anniversary Issue) * [http://www.visionaryproject.org/johnsonjohn "John H. Johnson's oral history – video excerpts"], The National Visionary Leadership Project.  * Nsenga Burton, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120128102645/http://www.theroot.com/buzz/ebony-jet-sells-headquarters-building "Ebony Jet Sells Headquarters Building"], ''The Root'', November 17, 2010. * [https://archive.org/details/EbonyMagazineFBIFile FBI file on ''Ebony'']

Category:African-American magazines Category:Johnson Publishing Company Category:Lifestyle magazines published in the United States Category:Magazines established in 1945 Category:Magazines published in Chicago Category:Magazines published in Los Angeles Category:Monthly magazines published in the United States Category:Photojournalistic magazines Category:2016 mergers and acquisitions Category:2020 mergers and acquisitions Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2019