Net Worth: $250 Million
If you like movies, then odds are you've at least heard of Denzel Washington. Washington is an American actor, producer, and screenwriter who's worked on projects such as Malcolm X, Courage Under Fire, and the sic-fi film Virtuosity. Across his decades-long career, Washington has received many nominations and awards, including two Academy Awards, three Golden Globes, a Tony Award, and several others.
Denzel married his wife Pauletta Pearson in 1983, and the two have had four children together. Washington has served as the national spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America since 1993, and he's been a board member for the organization since 1995. Washington's also done work for several other charities, including the Elevate Hope Foundation and the Artists for a New South Africa. Celebrity Net Worth has reported that Washington makes between $60-80 million a year and has a total net worth of $250 million.
Net Worth: $250 Million
Okay, so who doesn't know Samuel L. Jackson? He's practically a staple in Hollywood by this point! Jackson rose to prominence during the 1990s for his performance in films like Goodfellas, Jurassic Park, and Patriot Games, and Pulp Fiction. In fact, since the beginning of his career, Jackson has appeared in more than 150 films and has actually been ranked the highest all-time box office star, with over $7.1 billion total U.S. box office gross according to Box Office Mojo. If you want to do the math, that's an average of $89.9 million per movie.
Jackson's awards and nominations are, honestly, too many to count, so we'll just hit a few of the highlights: four NAACP Image Awards, an MTV Movie Award, and three Film Critic Awards. In 2009, Jackson and his wife, LaTanya Richardson, started their own charitable organization to help support education, and he's also worked to fight Alzheimer's disease and testicular cancer. With all of those major achievements under his belt, it shouldn't be a surprise that Celebrity Net Worth reported Samuel L. Jackson to have a total net worth of $250 million.
Net Worth: $250 million
Kanye West is an American producer, rapper, actor, and fashion designer who's well-known for being outspoken and usually controversial. So far, West has won a total of 21 Grammy Awards and 32 Rhythm and Soul ASCAP awards, making him one of the most awarded artists of all time. In addition to his music and awards, West is also a big name in fashion, having premiered his women's fashion label in 2011 and his Yeezy shoe line in 2015.
West married his wife Kim Kardashian in 2014, and the two have since had four children to add to the Kardashian clan. West and his mother started the Kanye West Foundation in 2003 in an effort to battle dropout and illiteracy rates. Following the death of his mother in 2008, West rechristened the foundation to become "The Dr. Donda West Foundation," however it ceased operation in 2011. West still pursues several humanitarian pursuits. With all that in mind, Celebrity Net Worth has reported that Kanye West has a total net worth of $250 million.
Net Worth: $250 Million
You can't help but love Morgan Freeman. Freeman's an American actor (both on the screen and on the stage), narrator, and film director who's been a beloved part of Hollywood for decades. He won his first major award, a Tony, in 1978 before transitioning to film where he's starred or played supporting roles in a long list of hits. Some of these hits include The Shawshank Redemption, Invictus, and Street Smart, along with a slew of other films from across the years.
Honestly, Freeman has too many awards to recount. Still, there are a few distinct highlights to his long career: an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and seven NAACP Image Awards. Outside of acting, Freeman turned his 124-acre ranch into a bee sanctuary in 2014 as an effort to help combat the decline of honeybees and has even obtained a private pilot's license. He also owns and operates Ground Zero, a blues club in Clarksdale, Mississippi. So, with that many things going, it's unsurprising that he has a net worth of $250 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Net Worth: $800 Million
Tiger Woods is one of the most well-known American golfers in the world, and he's also the highest-earning golfer of all time. Since becoming a pro golfer in 1996, Woods has earned $118 million on the green, according to Celebrity Net Worth, and he's made about $1 billion more just from his endorsements. Woods has seen endorsements with brands such as Nike, Gatorade, Rolex, Golf Digest, AT&T, Buick, Upper Deck, EA Sports, and many more. His endorsement with Gatorade alone made him $100 million over five years, and got him a custom branded drink called the "Gatorade Tiger."
On top of his golf success and endorsement deals, Tiger owns a course design business called Tiger Woods Design that has designed golf courses across the globe. In 1996, Woods also established the TGR Foundation that focused on promoting golf among inner-city children, and it conducted junior golf clinics across the nation. With all of that and his ongoing career, Celebrity Net Worth has reported that Tiger Woods has an annual salary between $50-60 million and a total net worth of $800 million.
Net Worth: $200 Million
Serena Williams is easily one of the greatest women's tennis players of all time. Williams has been ranked number one in the world a total of five times and has earned more prize money than any women's player in history. Over the course of her ongoing career, Williams has won 18 singles Grand Slam titles and 13 doubles titles with her sister, Venus. And that's just the tip of the awards iceberg. Williams has also won three gold medals at three different Olympic games. She is the highest-earning female tennis player of all time.
Williams is also one of the most popular endorsement athletes across the globe. Outside of tennis endorsing companies, Williams earns $15-20 million a year with companies like Nike and Kraft Foods. She's paired with Nike and Puma to create her own fashion lines before she founded one all her own, Aneres. With all of those titles and endorsements, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Celebrity Net Worth has reported Williams to have a total net worth of $200 million.
Net Worth: $350 Million
A renowned actor, rapper, and songwriter, Will Smith is beloved by moviegoers across the globe. Smith started his career by forming the rap group DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, and if you're familiar with '90s TV, that last bit should sound familiar. Smith's stardom really kicked off when he starred in the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which saw massive success. After his debut on TV, he started showing up in movies like Men in Black, Bad Boys, and Enemy of the State. With the smash hits of those movies, Smith began seeing offers for leading roles, and his music career took off along with his acting career.
As far as awards go, Smith is well decorated in nominations and awards for both acting and music with more than forty accolades awarded to him, including six American Music Awards and four NAACP Image Awards. Smith and his current wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith, are well known for their charitable contributions, including a founding a private elementary school in Calabasas, CA, which they later made a $1.2 million donation to. With so much to do and so many prestigious awards, Celebrity Net Worth reported that Smith has a total net worth of $350 million.
Net Worth: $1.1 Billion
Mohammed "Mo" Ibrahim is a Sudanese-British self-made businessman who founded the telecommunications company Celtel International in 1998. Celtel was one of the first mobile phone companies to serve Africa and the Middle East, and by 2005, it was operating in 13 different countries and held more than 20% of the subscription market in Africa.
In 2005, Ibrahim decided to sell Celtel and its parent company for $3.4 billion, spreading its influence to encompass a total of 22 different nations. Ibrahim himself pocketed $1.4 billion from that deal. Now that Ibrahim's moved on from the telecommunications business, he's mainly focusing on his foundation, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, which seeks to fight the corrupt leadership in the region. He's also a member of the London Business School's Africa regional advisory board. With all that he's done and how much he's made, Forbes named him on their list of 2019's Black Billionaires with a net worth of $1.1 billion.
Net Worth: $400 Million
Let's be real, who doesn't love Shaq? He's so funny and charming, you can't help but love him! Shaq is a retired NBA player, rapper, entrepreneur, actor, and TV host. In 1992, O'Neal hit the NBA scene as the first overall pick for the Orlando Magic, and just a year later, he was named Rookie of the year and voted an All Star-starter. O'Neal stepped into the Hollywood scene in 1994 when he appeared in the movie Blue Chip, and from there, he appeared in several other movies and music videos for various artists. He also did a brief stint of voice acting for episodes of Static Shock and Johnny Bravo.
In addition to all those TV, movie, and music appearances, O'Neal has been raking in the dough from several major endorsements. In 2019, O'Neal joined the Papa John’s board of directors, and he's already planning on purchasing as many locations as he can to join the nine he currently owns. He's also famous for his endorsements with brands like Burger King, Pepsi, Oreo, and Carnival Cruise Line. All-in-all, Celebrity Net Worth has reported that O'Neal is making $60 million a year and has a total net worth of $400 million.
Net Worth: $400 Million
Beyoncé is easily one of the most well-known and well-loved singers of this generation. She started out in the late '90s, where she rose to fame as the lead singer of the girl group Destiny's Child. She's a singer, songwriter, actress, and fashion designer who's made a distinctive mark on pop culture as we know it. Beyoncé is hailed as one of the best-selling artists has received more than 500 awards and 1,000 nominations. Just to hit a few of the highlights, she's won nine American Music Awards, 13 Billboard Music Awards, and 23 Grammy Awards. Honestly, though, that's barely scratching the surface of her awards list.
Together with her rapper husband, Jay-Z, the two are a pop culture powerhouse of hits and inspiration. In addition to her music and acting, Beyoncé has several endorsements, including some with Pepsi, Tommy Hilfiger, and L'Oreal. Beyonce's also got her own fashion line, known as the House of Deréon, that touts contemporary styles that reflect her own taste. She's worked closely with several nonprofit organizations and was even named 2016's Most Charitable Celebrity of the Year. Both Beyoncé and her husband Jay-Z are incredibly successful, but alone Beyoncé has a total net worth of $400 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Net Worth: $400 Million
If you're a music fan, there's a good chance you know Quincy Jones. Jones started out as a jazz arranger and conductor in the 1950s before he moved over to work with pop music and movie scores. In 1969, Jones and songwriting partner Bob Russell became the first African-Americans to even be nominated for an Academy Award, according to Wikipedia. In total, Jones has received and been nominated for a wide variety of awards, including an Emmy and 28 Grammy Awards. In fact, Jones is second on the list of all-time Grammy Award wins.
Jones has worked with artists like Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald, but that's just the beginning of his illustrious career. Jones also has an impressive list of movie scores he's worked on with a few of the highlights, including The Wiz, The Color Purple, and Mirage. Jones has been an avid social activist since the '60s, when he supported Martin Luther King, JR. Jones is one of the founders of the Institute for Black American Music, which aims to raise enough funds for the creation of a national library of African-American art and music. Even at almost 90 years old, Jones is keeping himself busy. With a reported $400 million net worth, according to Celebrity Net Worth, he's got plenty of funds to do whatever he wants.
Net Worth: $480 Million
Lebron James is easily one of the most recognizable names in NBA history, he's a complete star both on and off the basketball court. Currently, James plays for the Los Angeles Lakers and has had previous stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. James is a three-time NBA Champion, 16 time NBA All-Star, and has two Olympic gold medals under his belt — and that's just the beginning for him. According to Celebrity Net Worth, James makes roughly $100 million every year, $40 million from his NBA salary, and about $55 million from his various endorsements. James is a very sought after endorser, with a few of his previous and current endorsements, including brands like McDonald's, Beats by Dre, Nike, Coca-Cola, and Dunkin Donuts.
James has a signature shoe line for Nike and has a 1% stake in Beats by Dre, which helps him bring in a few million more. James even owns his own production company, SpringHill Entertainment, and a media company, Uninterrupted. LeBron James has essentially turned himself and his entire brand into a giant business that has a total net worth of $480 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Net Worth: $1.6 Billion
Abdulsamad Rabiu is a Nigerian businessman who founded the BUA Group, a conglomerate with interests in oil and gas, shipping, cement production, real estate, steel, manufacturing, and a slew of other things. On average, the conglomerate generates revenue that exceeds $2.5 billion. Rabiu founded his conglomerate in 1988 specifically for trading commodities such as rice, edible oil, flour, iron, and steel. Within a few years, BUA acquired Nigerian Oil Mills Limited, the largest edible oil processing company in the nation, and started two flour-milling plants and broke an eight-year monopoly in the Nigerian sugar industry.
With all that's happening at BUA, it's almost astounding that Rabiu has time to kill with other responsibilities and interests. Rabiu is also the chairman of the Nigerian Bank of Industry and owns property in Britain worth $62 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Rabiu has landed himself on Forbes's 2019 Black Billionaires list and is reported to have a total net worth of $1.6 billion.
Net Worth: $600 Million
Tyler Perry is a beloved American actor, writer, comedian, producer, and director who's best known for his Madea movies. Perry is considered one of the most financially successful directors in the entertainment industry. Perry started out writing plays which, according to Celebrity Net Worth, bagged him more than $100 million thanks to ticket sales and an additional $30 million worth or related merchandise. Due to this success, Perry was able to raise a $5.5 million budget for his first Hollywood film: Diary of a Mad Black Woman, which grossed $50.6 million in the U.S.
Over the course of his career, Perry has produced more than eight TV shows, 20 stage productions, and a whopping 30 movies. Along with all those successes, Perry struck an exclusive multi-year partnership with Oprah Winfrey and her TV network, Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). Since their partnership, the two have seen major success with the four scripted shows Perry's produced for the network. With all of this in mind, it should come as no surprise that Celebrity Net Worth has reported Perry has a total net worth of $600 million.
Net Worth: $820 Million
Dr. Dre is one of the top three richest hip-hop stars in the business, and he's not far behind the top two. Dre is known for his prolific rap career that began back in the 1980s, where he rose to fame as a member of the N.W.A. gangsta rap group. In fact, because of his role in N.W.A., Dre was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame in 2016. Along with that prestigious honor, Dre has won a plethora of other awards, including six Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards.
Outside of the music world, Dre is also a successful businessman who has endorsements with Dr. Pepper, Coors Light, and Chrysler 300S, along with several of his own business ventures. In 2008, Dre released the first line of his headphones, Beats by Dr. Dre, which consisted of six types of headphones. A year after the headphones had been released, Dre struck a deal with Hewlett-Packard to bundle an exclusive laptop and a set of his beats. A year later, the company was bought by Apple for $3 billion. That deal alone made Dr. Dre, temporarily, the "richest man in hip hop." As of 2019, Dr. Dre had a total net worth of $820 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Net Worth: $200 Million
Robinson is a retired NBA player and is considered one of the greatest and most successful centers in basketball history. From 1989 to 2003, Robinson played as a center for the San Antonio Spurs. Throughout his career, he was a ten-time NBA All-Star and was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2009.
Robinson married his wife, Valerie, back in 1991, and the two are well-known for their philanthropic pursuits. The Robinsons have donated millions of dollars to help children finish school. In 2011, he received the Children's Champion Award from the Children's Hunger Fund. After his retirement from the NBA, Robinson launched two private equity funds, which have both gone on to raise millions of dollars through investing in real estate. Celebrity Net Worth reports that David Robinson has a total net worth of $200 million. With that, he's committed to donating 10% of his funds to various charities.
Net Worth: $2.2 Billion
Michael Lee-Chin is a Canadian business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. Currently, he acts as the chairman and CEO of Portland Holdings Inc., a privately held investment holding company in Canada. Lee-Chin also holds a 65% stake in the National Commercial Bank Jamaica, which makes up a fair chunk of his billion-dollar fortune. In 1987, Lee-Chin acquired the company AIC, and through Lee-Chin's guidance, his company has managed more than $10 billion in assets by 2002.
After the 2008 recession struck, Lee-Chin was forced to sell AIC to Manulife, a Canadian financial services group. However, he was able to keep his massive stake in the National Commercial Bank Jamaica. Outside the realm of business, Lee-Chin has made headlines for his massive philanthropic contributions. In 2003, Lee-Chin pledged to donate $30 million to the Royal Ontario Museum, and that was just the beginning. With all that, Lee-Chin has landed himself on Forbes's 2019 Black Billionaires list, and it's been reported he has a total net worth of $2.2 billion.
Net Worth: $1 Billion
Rounding out the top three richest men in hip hop is none other than Jay-Z, the very first hip-hop billionaire. Jay-Z, the husband to Beyonce, is an American rapper, songwriter, producer, and businessman. Jay-Z is one of the most recent billionaires on this list, having just crossed into billionaire-dom in the middle of 2019. A lot of his money has, of course, come from his successful music career, which has seen him receive a multitude of awards, including 22 Grammy Awards.
However, just as much of his money has come from his other business ventures as well. Jay-Z has previously partnered with Reebok and has even launched his own sports agency known as Roc Nation Sports. There are a lot more business ventures that Jay-Z has been a part of, but honestly, that could be a slideshow all by itself. So, with all of that to take into consideration, Celebrity Net Worth estimates that Jay-Z makes between $70-80 million every year and has a total net worth of $1 billion.
Net Worth: $2.2 Billion
Okay, we're pretty sure there's actually no way in the world someone hasn't heard of Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest basketball player of all time. Jordan started with the NBA in 1984 and played for almost 20 years, which were filled with an endless slew of awards and accolades. Just to name a few of the major ones, Jordan has got six NBA Finals MVP awards, 10 scoring titles, five MVP awards, three steals titles, and six NBA championships.
While he was active in the league, Jordan charmed the crowds with his personality and prolific scoring ability. Thanks to that, Jordan is one of the most marketed sports players in history. He's acted as a spokesperson for Coca-Cola, Nike, Chevrolet, Gatorade, and McDonald's (among others). Then, in 1984, he and Nike created the first iteration of his signature shoe: the Air Jordan. Even on into his retirement, Jordan's kept busy, and now, he's slam-dunked his way onto Forbes's 2019 Black Billionaires list with a grand total net worth of $2.2 billion.
Net Worth: $1.1 Billion
Folorunsho Alakija is Nigeria's first female billionaire and is the founder of the Nigerian oil company Famfa Oil. Famfa Oil was founded in 1991 and currently owns a substantial participating interest in the particularly lucrative oil block OML 127, the company also partners with Chevron and Petrobras. But she isn't just involved in oil, not by a long shot. Alakija is involved in the fashion, real estate, and printing industries as well. In fact, her fashion line is a household name in Nigeria, and she acts as the National President and lifelong Trustee of the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria.
Alakija was also named the richest woman in Nigeria by Forbes in 2020, with an estimated net worth of $1.1 billion. Outside of her business ventures, Alakija also established a foundation known as the Rose of Sharon Foundation, which helps widows and orphans through a collection of scholarships and business grants.
Net Worth: $885 Million
Also known as Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, Brother Love, or Diddy, Sean Combs is an American rapper, entrepreneur, record executive, and actor who launched his career back in 1997. Combs is the founder of Bad Boy Entertainment WorldWide, which he uses to run all of his business interests such as Bad Boy Records, Sean John & Sean (a clothing line), two restaurants, and a movie production company. Across the course of his ongoing career, Combs has been the recipient of several major awards, including an NAACP Image Award, three BET Awards, three Grammy Awards, and two MTV Video Music Awards.
In addition to his numerous business ventures, Combs also established the Daddy's House Social Programs, which focuses on helping inner-city youth through tutoring programs, life skills classes, and an annual summer camp. In 2006, the mayor of Chicago named October 13, "Diddy Day" in honor of Combs' charity work throughout the years. With so much going on alongside his growing career and business ventures, Celebrity Net Worth has reported that Sean Combs has a total net worth of $885 million.
Net Worth: $2.3 Billion
Patrice Motsepe is a South African businessman who is the founder and executive chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, which has interests in platinum, gold, ferrous metals, and base metals. Not only is he on the board of his own company, but several others as well, like Harmony Gold, the world's 12th largest gold mining company. Motsepe began his company in 1994 under the name Future Mining, and in 1997, he purchased his first gold mines from the company AngloGold when the price for gold was at a low. He repeated this process and set up a firm to purchase the operating mines that eventually became his ultimate success.
On top of his business success, Motsepe is a soccer fan. In fact, Motsepe even owns the Mamelodi Sundowns F.C., a Premier League soccer club in South Africa. In late 2019, Motsepe bought an almost 40% stake in the Blue Bulls Co., South Africa's best performing rugby team. Motsepe also currently acts as the interim chairman of South Africa's Black Business Council, and he's a founding member and former president of Business Unity SA, one of the country's most influential business advocacy and lobby groups. With all that in mind, it's not surprising that Motsepe lands on Forbes's 2019 Black Billionaires list with a total net worth of $2.3 billion.
Net Worth: $2.3 Billion
Isabel Dos Santos is an Angolan businesswoman, entrepreneur, and the oldest child of the country's former president, José Eduardo dos Santos. Dos Santos's career has spanned more than 20 years, and she's held numerous management positions in a number of companies listed on the European stock exchange. Over her career, she's built an investment portfolio that includes a 25% stake in the Angolan bank Banco BIC SA and a 25% stake in the Angolan mobile phone company Unitel. She's focused primarily on telecommunications both in Angola and abroad.
Throughout the entirety of her career, dos Santos founded numerous companies across Angola, Europe, and Africa. While founding these businesses, she promoted vocational training and ensured that young local talent had opportunities to grow and expand their horizons. In late 2015, the BBC named dos Santos as one of the 100 most influential women in the world. With all she's done, it's unsurprising that Isabel dos Santos showed up on Forbes's 2019 Black Billionaires list, with a reported net worth of $2.3 billion.
Net Worth: $600 Million
Earvin "Magic" Johnson was one of the original NBA players to pave the way for others to make their name a "brand." Magic is a retired NBA player and entrepreneur who was well-known and loved for his magnetic personality, both on and off the court. He's a five-time NBA champion, a three-time NBA Most Valuable Player, and 12 time NBA All-Star, just to name a few of his accomplishments.
He only made $18 million from his salary, according to Radio. Still, he made millions more through his endorsements with Pepsi, KFC, Target, and Nestle. Following his retirement from the sport in 1991, Johnson created the Magic Johnson Foundation to help combat HIV and has since advocated for HIV/AIDS prevention. Along with that, Johnson launched his empire known as Magic Johnson Enterprises, which owns a movie studio. In 2019, MJE was valued at over $1 billion, and it's given Magic a total net worth of $600 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Net Worth: $1.1 Billion
Alexander Caedmon Karp is an American billionaire. He is the co-founder and CEO of the software firm Palantir Technologies. His fortune first began when he received an inheritance from his grandfather. With that inheritance, he invested in several different startups, which proved to be successful.
Karp earned a doctorate in social theory, so the path to getting into the tech industry was not always easy. He was met with many rejections in his early career. A successful venture was through Caedmon Group, an asset management company. Then, when he founded the data mining firm Palantir Technologies, he was quickly back by CIA investment arm In-Q-Tel. Partnering with billionaire Peter Thiel was also met with great success.
Net Worth: $2.4 Billion
Strive Masiyiwa is a Zimbabwean businessman and philanthropist based in London. He's the founder and executive chairman of Econet Wireless, a telecommunications, media, and technology company. Econet Wireless is a privately held global telecoms company that operates in more than 20 countries across Africa, Europe, and Latin America. Masiyiwa has also partnered with John Stanton, one of America's leading telecoms entrepreneurs, for a venture known as Trilogy International Partners, which is responsible for building New Zealand's third mobile network operator.
Masiyiwa and his wife, TsiTsi, are both super involved in philanthropic and humanitarian pursuits. Masiyiwa has used his own family's fortune to build one of the largest support programs for educating orphans in the entire continent of Africa, which so far has helped more than 40,000 children. Honestly, that's just a brief look at his humanitarian work over his life, and he's received several awards regarding his philanthropy. Forbes certainly kept all that in mind when they added him to their 2019 Black Billionaires list, where he sits with a net worth of $2.4 billion.
Net Worth: $2.7 Billion
Oprah Winfrey is easily one of the most recognizable names in history, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Winfrey is an American media executive, talk show host, TV producer, actress, and philanthropist that's known as the "Queen of All Media," and she was the U.S.'s first black multi-billionaire. Winfrey's written at least 10 books, has had two books written about her, and has appeared in several TV shows and movies throughout the course of her decades-long career.
Oprah's known for her philanthropy. In fact, she became the first black person to rank among the 50 most generous Americans, where she remained until 2020. Even by 2012, she'd given away approximately $400 million to educational causes, including a school that she created known as The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. She's easily one of the most famous women in history, and it's unsurprising that she has a massive net worth to help her pursue all these projects, with a total of $2.7 billion, according to Forbes.
Net Worth: $3 Billion
David Steward is the chairman and founder of World Wide Technology, Inc., one of the largest African-American-owned businesses in the entire United States. WWT was founded in 1990 as a systems integrator, but just three years later, the company shifted its focus to the implementation of enterprise-wide, conversion services, and telecom networks. By 1999, WWT expanded its telecoms division to create Telcobuy.com, and sales for the two companies grew. By 2018, WWT's revenue was estimated to be greater than $11 billion.
With his free time, Steward is also a member of several other committees and boards, including Civic Progress of St. Louis, Missouri Technology Corporation, Webster University, United Way of Greater St. Louis, and several others. He's had several awards and honors tacked onto his name. Honestly, it's not a surprise with how much work he's put into building his company. He landed himself on Forbes's 2019 Black Billionaires list, with a total net worth of $3 billion.
Net Worth: $5 Billion
Robert Smith is an American businessman, chemical engineer, investment banker, and philanthropist, who is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm. Smith first began his career working at several companies, including Kraft General Foods, where he earned to the U.S. and two European patents. In 1994, Smith joined Goldman Sachs, where he advised on over $50 billion in merger and acquisition activities with Fortune 500 companies like Apple, Microsoft, and eBay.
In 2000, he founded Vista Equity Partners, and as of 2019, the company had over $46 billion in cumulative capital commitments. As for his philanthropy, Smith is the board chairman of Carnegie Hall, the first African American to ever hold that position. Smith is the founding director and president of the Fund II Foundation, which has invested in organizations like Susan G. Komen and Cornell under his direction. That's not everything, but it's a start to his numerous humanitarian ventures. In 2019, he popped up on Forbes's 2019 Black Billionaires list with a total net worth of $5 billion.
Net Worth: $10.9 Billion
And here's the number one, the richest black person in the world: Aliko Dangote. Dangote is a Nigerian businessman and the owner of the Dangote Group, a multinational industrial conglomerate. In fact, the Dangote Group is the largest conglomerate in West Africa and one of the largest on the continent. The company regularly generates a revenue of more than $4.1 billion, as of 2017. The company was originally founded in 1981, where it acted as a trading enterprise for sugar, cement, rice, fish, and other consumer goods. The group moved to focus on manufacturing in the 1990s.
Following its move into manufacturing, the group moved to textiles, flour milling, salt processing, sugar refining, and cement production. The Dangote Group owns and operates a total of 18 subsidiaries across ten countries in Africa. From that, Dangote has made a fortune. Recently, the Nigerian tycoon has embarked on an incredibly ambitious project yet: a private oil refinery that will have the capacity to refine over six million barrels a day. Dangote has a lot going on, and all of it's proved lucrative enough to land him on Forbes's 2019 Black Billionaires list with a total net worth of $10.9 billion
