The 10 richest Black Americans in 2022 (2024)

According to Forbes, the leading authority tracking the fortunes of the world’s richest people, there are 10 African-American billionaires in the world today.

While some made their fortunes in conventional industries such as private equity and IT, the overwhelming majority have strong ties to the entertainment and sports industries and have used their celebrity leverage in sports and music to build businesses manufacturing everything from liquor and sneakers to pizza and hoodies, creating billions of dollars in value.

Meet the 10 richest Black Americans in 2022.

1. Robert F. Smith

Source: Private Equity

Net worth: $6.7 billion

Robert F. Smith is America’s richest Black person. He is the founder of Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm that focuses exclusively on investing in software companies. Vista has $92 billion in assets and is one of the world’s best-performing private equity firms. It has posted annualized returns of 22 percent since it was founded in 2000. Smith, 59, is also a philanthropist of note. He promised to pay off the student loans of the entire Morehouse College graduating class of 2019 during his commencement speech.

2. David Steward

Source: IT

Net worth: $5.8 billion

David Steward, America’s second richest Black person, is the founder and chairman of World Wide Technology, a 14.5-billion (sales) IT services company that boasts customers like Verizon and Citi among many others. The company, which he founded in 1990, now has more than 7,000 employees.

3. Oprah Winfrey

Source: Television, Films

Net worth: $2.5 billion

The “Queen of Talk,” Oprah Winfrey has built a thriving media empire that includes Harpo Productions, which has co-produced movies such as “The Color Purple,” “Beloved,” and “Selma.” She also owns a 25.5-percent stake in OWN, the cable channel that she launched in 2011, and a seven-percent stake in Weight Watchers.

4. Kanye West

Source: Sneakers

Net worth: $2 billion

The hip hop artist and fashion mogulmade the bulk of his fortune from a a lucrative multiyear deal to design sneaker brand Yeezy for German sportswear company Adidas. His Yeezy brand has been phenomenally popular and generated close to $2 billion in sales in 2020. In 2020, West also entered into a deal with U.S. clothing and accessories retailer Gap Inc. to sell a line of Yeezy clothing specially designed for Gap.

5. Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty

Source: Cosmetics, Music

Net worth: $1.7 billion

Rihanna, a Barbados-born musician and entrepreneur, owes the bulk of her $1.7 billion to the extraordinary success of her cosmetics line Fenty Beauty. She owns a 50-percent stake in the $550-million (revenue) business alongside French luxury retailer LVMH. She also has a 30-percent stake in the Savage x Fenty lingerie line, which raised money at a $1-billion valuation in February 2021.

6. Michael Jordan

Source: Charlotte Hornets, Endorsem*nts

Net worth: $1.7 billion

NBA great Michael Jordan earned $90 million in salary during his career, but according to Forbes, he has pocketed $1.8 billion (pre-tax) from such corporate partners as Nike, Hanes, and Gatorade. He is the chairman and principal owner of the Charlotte Hornets, an NBA team in North Carolina. In 2019, Jordan agreed to sell a minority stake in the NBA team that valued it at $1.5 billion. He is also a NASCAR team co-owner and owns a stake in sports-betting firm DraftKings.

7. Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter

Source: Liquor, Music Streaming

Net worth: $1.3 billion

Jay-Z, hip hop’s first billionaire, is the founder of entertainment company Rock Nation, and also owns stakes in Armand de Brignac and D’Usse cognac. Last year, he pocketed $297 million after selling a majority stake in Tidal, his high-fidelity music streaming platform, to Jack Dorsey’s Square. He also owns an impressive fine art collection that includes works by Jean-Michel Basquiat and owns venture capital firm Marcy Venture Partners.

8. Tyler Perry

Source: Films

Net worth: $1 billion

Tyler Perry is a writer, producer, director, and actor best known for the “Madea” film series, which has earned more than $660 million. Before switching to cinema and television in the 2000s, Perry first began out in live theatre in the 1990s and quickly rose to fame. Since he owns all of the content that he has produced, Perry’s wealth comes from both his share as a producer and a library dating back to the early 1990s. He inaugurated Tyler Perry Studios, a 330-acre facility in Atlanta with 12 sound stages and custom sets that include a to-scale White House in 2019.

9. Tiger Woods

Source: Golf, Endorsem*nts, Real Estate

Net worth: $1 billion

Tiger Woods, the world’s greatest golfer, has won $121 million in prize money – more than any other pro golfer in history. However, less than 10 percent of his career earnings comes from his golf winnings. Most of his wealth stems from endorsem*nts with brands such as Nike, Gatorade, Rolex and Monster Energy. Woods also owns a golf course design business and a live production company. He is also an investor in Nexus Luxury Collection – an international hospitality real estate development and asset management company. He also owns stakes in a luxury mini-golf experience with multiple locations in Florida as well a hospital software startup.

10. LeBron James

Source: Basketball, Endorsem*nts, Investments

Net worth: $1 billion

LeBron James is the first active NBA player to become a billionaire. His pretax earnings from his time with the Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers, his current team, total more than $385 million. Off the court, he has made well over $900 million (pretax) through commercial initiatives and endorsem*nt agreements with companies such as PepsiCo, Walmart, and his lifelong sponsor, Nike. He also has equity in Beats by Dre and the Blaze Pizza chain.

The 10 richest Black Americans in 2022 (2024)

FAQs

The 10 richest Black Americans in 2022? ›

How many black millionaires are there in America? According to Statista, about 8% of US millionaires were African Americans. These figures point to about 1.79 million African American millionaires in the country.

Who is the richest Black in America 2022? ›

As of 2022, here are the world's 15 Black billionaires:
  • Jay-Z: $1.4 billion. ...
  • Michael Jordan: $2 billion. ...
  • Strive Masiyiwa: $1.9 billion. ...
  • Rihanna: $1.4 billion. ...
  • Michael Lee-Chin: $1.4 billion. ...
  • Tiger Woods $1.1 billion. ...
  • Lebron James $1 billion. ...
  • Tyler Perry: $1 billion. Perry is an actor, director, producer and screenwriter.
Feb 28, 2023

Who are the top 10 richest black people? ›

Top 10 wealthiest Black people in the world
  • Oprah Winfrey — American media mogul and philanthropist.
  • Patrice Motsepe — South African businessman.
  • David Steward — American businessman and philanthropist.
  • Mike Adenuga — Nigerian businessman and billionaire.
  • Aliko Dangote — Nigerian businessman.
Mar 28, 2023

How many Black millionaires in America 2022? ›

How many black millionaires are there in America? According to Statista, about 8% of US millionaires were African Americans. These figures point to about 1.79 million African American millionaires in the country.

Who is the first black female billionaire? ›

CBS: The Rise and Success of the First Black Female Billionaire Sheila Johnson.

Who is the richest Black man on earth? ›

Aliko Dangote has been the richest man in Africa for ten years in a row, with a net worth of around $13.5 billion. Dangote's fortune is primarily built from his company, Dangote Cement, although he started his business empire by selling commodities such as sugar, salt, and flour.

Who is the richest black woman in USA? ›

Sheila Crump Johnson

Co-founder of BET, and CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts, Johnson is the first African American businesswoman to attain a net worth of $750 million.

Who is the richest Black man on Forbes list? ›

Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote keeps his position as Africa's wealthiest man for the 12th consecutive year, despite a $400m drop in his fortune to $13.5bn, according to Forbes' list of African billionaires for 2023.

How many Black Americans make over $100000 a year? ›

Household income

Three-in-ten Black households (31%) make $75,000 or more, including 20% that make $100,000 or more.

Who is the richest Black family in America? ›

Robert F.

Smith is America's richest Black person. He is the founder of Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm that focuses exclusively on investing in software companies. Vista has $92 billion in assets and is one of the world's best-performing private equity firms.

What city has the most Black millionaires? ›

According to a 2015 study by NerdWallet, the Atlanta area is home to about 2.1 million black owned businesses which is the highest in the nation. Established in 2005, the Atlanta Black Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to supporting and connecting black entrepreneurs in the Atlanta area.

Where is the wealthiest Black community in America? ›

History: View Park–Windsor Hills is one of the richest Black communities in the U.S. and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It is also producer-actor Issa Rae's hometown and the inspiration for her HBO drama Insecure, about Black L.A. single life.

Who is the first black billionaire rapper? ›

Through his business ventures, Jay-Z became the first hip-hop billionaire in 2019. In 1999, he founded the clothing retailer Rocawear, and in 2003, he founded the luxury sports bar chain 40/40 Club. Both businesses have grown to become multi-million-dollar corporations, and allowed him to start up Roc Nation in 2008.

Who is the highest paid Black actor? ›

Tyler Perry - $800 million

Who is the highest-paid black actor? Tyler Perry takes the lead. The 50-year-old American is a jack of many trades, working as a writer, producer, film director, and comedian. He is also applauded for being the first African American to open an all-African movie studio.

Who was the richest Black girl in history? ›

Sarah Rector, also known as Sarah Rector Campbell and Sarah Campbell Crawford, (March 3, 1902 – July 22, 1967) was an American oil magnate who was known as the "Richest Colored Girl in the World". Indian Territory (now Taft, Oklahoma, U.S.) Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.

What Black woman is richer than Oprah? ›

Sheila Johnson, an American businesswoman who co-founded the cable TV channel BET, or Black Entertainment Network, in 1979, is one of the richest Black women in the world, according to Forbes, with a net worth of $780 million.

Who is the first Black male millionaire? ›

William Alexander Leidesdorff (1810-1848) was likely America's first Black millionaire. Leidesdorff became a naturalized U.S. citizen in Louisiana in 1834 where he became a ship captain, according to historical accounts. He landed in California around 1841.

Which city has the most millionaires? ›

New York City came in at no. 1 on the list. The report found that from 2012 to 2022, the city had a 40% growth in its population of high-net-worth individuals. According to Henley & Partner's report, NYC is home to 340,000 individuals worth over $1 million, 724 centi-millionaires, and 58 billionaires.

Who is the richest rapper? ›

Top 5 richest rappers

Jay-Z: $1.5 billion (October 2022) Diddy: $1 billion (October 2022) Ye: $500 million (October 2022)

Who is the youngest richest black woman in the world? ›

With a net worth of $1.7 billion, Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty, a renowned musician and cosmetics billionaire dubbed the world's youngest Black billionaire, is the second-richest Black woman in the United States.

Who is the richest white woman? ›

1. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers: Net Worth- 94.9 billion USD. A French businesswoman and philanthropist hold the number one position among the World Richest Women. Francoise Bettencourt Meyers is the only granddaughter of the founder of the fashion company L'Oreal.

Who was the Black man worth 400 billion? ›

One of the greatest African rulers of all time, Mansa Musa (1280–1337) led the Mali Empire at the height of its power and creativity. He directly controlled the price of gold, and he has been comfortably described as the richest person in human history.

How many billionaires are Black? ›

Out of the more than 600 billionaires in the world, less than 10 are Black.

How many Black millionaires are there? ›

Millionaires by Race and Ethnicity

White people, who are not Hispanic or Latino, make up about 60% of the U.S. population. 8% of millionaires in the U.S. are Black. Black people make up about 14% of the U.S. population.

Who is the 9 year old billionaire? ›

#Gravitas | 9-year-old Mompha Junior from Nigeria has. been dubbed the world's youngest billionaire. Where. did young Mompha earn his billions from?

Who is the first child billionaire? ›

Jung-youn dethroned Kevin David Lehmann of Germany, the previous youngest billionaire. Kevin turned 20 this month and became a billionaire through his father, Guenther Lehmann, who made his son a billionaire at 18.

Who is the first kid billionaire? ›

Luminar Technologies founder and CEO Austin Russell, now 26, spent his teens doing research at University of California at Irvine's Beckman Laser Institute.

What race makes the most money in US? ›

In 2021, median household income varied considerably by race and ethnicity
Race/Ethnicity of Household Head2020 Median Household Income (2021 dollars)2021 Median Household Income
Asian$99,622$101,418
White, not Hispanic$78,912$77,999
Hispanic (any race)$58,015$57,981
Black$48,175$48,297
1 more row
Nov 9, 2022

What is the average income of a Black man? ›

Earnings of Men Aged 20–59, by Age Group and Race/Ethnicity, 2019–2020
Age groupWhite, not HispanicBlack, not Hispanic
20–2931,60019,900
30–3957,20034,000
40–4968,00047,900
50–5969,60048,000

What race is the highest paid in the US? ›

Asians are the highest-earning racial and ethnic group in the U.S., on average. However, their overall prosperity conceals a wide and rapidly growing economic divide between higher- and lower-income Asians.

Who is the richest Black kid? ›

Blue Ivy, Sir and Rumi Carter

As AfroTech previously reported, the children of Jay-Z and Beyoncé are the wealthiest celebrity Black children in the United States.

Who are the 3 richest families in America? ›

The top 10 richest families in 2022 by estimated wealth are: The Walton family with $224.5 billion. The Mars family with $160 billion. The Koch family with $128.8 billion.

What state has the most Black millionaires? ›

According to newly released census figures, Maryland has the nation's most affluent and highly educated black population.

What is the blackest city in America? ›

Often referred to as the "Blackest city in America," Jackson, Mississippi is 80% Black, but significantly smaller in population than Memphis, which is 63% Black.

What city is the Black capital? ›

This exhibition celebrates the rich and diverse culture of Harlem, New York. In the 1920s and 1930s, Harlem became a symbol of the African American struggle for civil and economic equality while emerging as a flourishing center of black culture, art and music.

What is the best state for African American to live? ›

In short, if you were a person of color in the United States over the past decade, especially a black person, looking to move or have children, the GOP-run states of Texas, Florida, and Georgia were the most attractive places to live.

What is the richest Black town? ›

See the 10 Most Affluent African-American Neighborhoods in America
  • View Park-Windsor Hill, California. Photo: Getty Images. ...
  • Baldwin Hills, California. David Wall Photo/Getty Images. ...
  • Ladera Heights, California. ...
  • Mitchellville, Maryland. ...
  • Fort Washington, Maryland. ...
  • Kettering, Maryland. ...
  • Woodmore, Maryland. ...
  • Friendly, Maryland.
Jul 7, 2017

What area is considered black Beverly Hills? ›

This has led neighborhoods in the Baldwin Hills — a collection of affluent wealthy and middle-class areas including Baldwin Hills Estates, Ladera Heights, Baldwin Vista, and especially View Park — to be known as “The Black Beverly Hills.”

What percentage of America is Black owned? ›

Despite this growth, businesses majority-owned by Black or African American people accounted for only 3% of all U.S. firms that were classifiable by the race and ethnicity of their owners in 2020. And Black-owned firms accounted for just 1% of gross revenue from classifiable companies that year.

Who was the first rapper to make $100 million dollars? ›

Eminem is the first rapper to cross the 100-million mark.

Who was the youngest billionaire? ›

Austin Russell, the 28-year-old CEO of California-based Luminar Technologies, remains the world's youngest self-made billionaire, with a net worth of US$1.

Who was the first rapper to reach $1 billion? ›

According to a new Forbes cover story, JAY-Z is the first hip-hop artist to become a billionaire. In a detailed article, the publication breaks down how JAY's fortune and assets “conservatively totals $1 billion." His most valuable assets is his holding in Armand de Brignac champagne, which is worth about $310 million.

Who is the richest actor of all time? ›

  • #1. Jerry Seinfeld.
  • #2. Shahrukh Khan.
  • #3. Tyler Perry.
  • #4. Tom Cruise.
  • #5. George Clooney.
  • #6. Robert De Niro.
  • #7. Amitabh Bachchan.
  • #8. Mel Gibson.
May 11, 2023

What black movie made the most money? ›

The Highest-Grossing Black Films in History
  • Coming to America. Eddie Murphy was king in the late 1980s. ...
  • Bad Boys II. When Will Smith and Martin Lawrence combined their funny to make 1995's film 'Bad Boys', they won over audiences worldwide. ...
  • Straight Outta Compton. ...
  • Lee Daniels' The Butler. ...
  • Big Momma's House.
Oct 26, 2020

Who is No 1 richest actor in the world? ›

Who is the number one richest actor in the world? Currently, Jami Gertz is the richest actor in the world with a net worth of $3 billion.

Who is the richest Black man in america 2023? ›

Robert F.

Smith, 60, is the wealthiest Black person in the United States of America. He co-founded Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm primarily investing in software startups.

How many Black millionaires are in America? ›

Millionaires by Race and Ethnicity

White people, who are not Hispanic or Latino, make up about 60% of the U.S. population. 8% of millionaires in the U.S. are Black. Black people make up about 14% of the U.S. population.

Who is the richest Black person in America Forbes? ›

Vista Equity's Robert F. Smith remains the richest Black person in the U.S., worth an estimated $6 billion, while Aliko Dangote of Nigeria, worth $11.8 billion, is the richest Black person in the world.

Which city has the most Black millionaires? ›

According to a 2015 study by NerdWallet, the Atlanta area is home to about 2.1 million black owned businesses which is the highest in the nation. Established in 2005, the Atlanta Black Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to supporting and connecting black entrepreneurs in the Atlanta area.

Who is the richest black woman in the US? ›

With a net worth of $2.5 billion, Oprah Gail Winfrey, a talk show host turned media mogul, is the wealthiest Black woman in America, according to Forbes. Oprah has transformed her hit talk show, which aired for 25 years, into a media and business empire.

Who's the wealthiest person on the planet? ›

Billionaire, businessman and the chairman and chief executive of LVMH (LVMUY), Bernard Arnault holds the crown as the richest person in the world. According to Forbes, Arnault has a fortune of $234.5 billion.

What is the richest Black neighborhood? ›

History: View Park–Windsor Hills is one of the richest Black communities in the U.S. and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It is also producer-actor Issa Rae's hometown and the inspiration for her HBO drama Insecure, about Black L.A. single life.

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