On May 6, 2009 Forbes announced the wealthiest African-Americans of the past year. There are twenty individuals named on this year's list spanning a wide range of careers. Remarkably, all twenty people are self-made millionaires (or billionaires, in one case) and are involved in everything from entertainment and athletics to real estate, media, and construction.

Although many on the list lost net worth as a result of hard economic times, the wealthiest Black American, Oprah Winfrey, weathered the recession well. As a talk show host and owner of Harpo Productions, Winfrey has consistently created internationally popular television programs, radio shows, television network, and reading materials for a wide audience. As a result, Winfrey earns approximately $200 million a year with a total net worth of $2.7 billion, making her the only billionaire on this year's list.

Robert Johnson, once America's first black billionaire, slipped into third place with a total net worth of $550 million. His booming network, Black Entertainment Television, earned him $3 billion in 2000 when he sold it to Viacom. After years of sagging investments and drops in Viacom stock, Johnson lost some of his wealth . His ex-wife, Sheila Johnson, with whom he co-founded BET, ranks seventh on the list with a net worth of $400 million.

Golf pro Tiger Woods comes in second after Winfrey and before Johnson with an estimated net worth of $600 million. His career winnings amount to approximately $80 million with the rest of his assests being earned through promotional contracts and sponsorships from large companies like Nike, Gillette, and AT&T.

Former basketball professional Michael Jordan ranked fourth on the list with an estimated $525 million in wealth from his work as a businessman and entrepreneur. Another former basketball player, Earvin "Magic" Johnson ranked fifth with a net worth of about $500 million.

Others on the 2009 list of wealthiest African Americans included Don Peeebles, real estate development entrepreneur, with an estimated net worth of $350 million, Quintin Primo, another real estate mogul, worth $300 million, and Ulysses Bridgeman Jr., a former NBA player for the Milwaukee Bucks, who earned his estimated $200 million through restaurant franchises. Another prominent Black American, Kenneth Chenault, also made the list with a net worth of $125 million as a result of running the credit card company, American Express.

Forbes list of the richest African Americans began as a result of readers requesting a separate list that represented the Black communities in America. All wealth is calculated based on net assets including real estate, art, and stock holdings.


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