CHICAGO, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Former U.S. President Bill Clinton joined mourners in Chicago paying their respects to the late John H. Johnson, who founded a black publishing empire.
Johnson, an icon in the African-American community whose interests included Ebony and Jet magazines, Ebony Fashion Fair and Fashion Fair cosmetics, died of heart failure last Monday at age 87.
The five-hour visitation period Sunday in the lobby of the Johnson Publishing Company was extended for an additional hour to accommodate thousands of mourners, the Chicago Defender reported.
They came downtown to see the man who presented positive images of black America for 60 years in words and photos.
Johnson's wife, Eunice, daughter and JPC CEO Linda Johnson Rice, and granddaughter, Alexis, were present to welcome the visitors.
Clinton was joined by a host of dignitaries, including Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Mayor Richard M. Daley, for the funeral at the Rockefeller Chapel on the campus of the University of Chicago.
