Since 1955, Fortune has ranked the 500 largest U.S. companies by revenue and the comings and goings of the more than 2,000 CEOs who have led them. In that time, just 28 of those chief executives have been Black. The latest addition is Michael Bender, who was named CEO of Kohl’s in early May.
While the number of Black CEOs in the Fortune 500 has slowly ticked upward in the 70 years since the list’s launch, representation remains sparse across corporate leadership. Black Americans make up 13% of all employees. Yet a 2021 McKinsey study found they account for just 7% of managerial roles and only 4% to 5% of senior management positions.
