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See Also in This Set

African Americans

Charles Barkley

Basketball

Dream Team

Michael Jordan

Karl Malone

Olympic Games of 1992

Shaquille O’Neal

Sports

The 1990s in America

Magic Johnson

by Michael Polley

Identification Professional basketball player and HIV/AIDS advocate

Johnson announced in 1991 that he had contracted human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and would retire from basketball. He later resumed his basketball career and became an HIV/AIDS advocate.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jr., was the fourth of seven children born to Earvin Johnson, Sr., and Christine Johnson. He led Michigan State to a national championship in his one year in college, then began a legendary National Basketball Association (NBA) career with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979.

Much of the media attention focused on Johnson in the 1990’s had little to do with sports. In September, 1991, he married his longtime girlfriend. In November, 1991, a blood test showed that he was HIV-positive. A few days later, Johnson shocked sports fans and the general public when he announced that he was retiring from basketball because of the diagnosis. At the time he made his announcement, many Americans still assumed that HIV/AIDS was restricted to homosexuals or drug addicts. The case of Johnson did not fit either of those categories.

Once his wife and baby tested negative, Magic Johnson dedicated his efforts to HIV/AIDS education, a role bolstered by his celebrity status. However, his basketball career was not completely over. He was voted in by fans to play in the 1992 All-Star Game, in which he scored twenty-five points. He played despite objections from some players, namely Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz, who feared on-court contact with Johnson could jeopardize their health. Johnson also played in the 1992 Summer Olympics as part of the formidable “Dream Team,” which won the gold medal.

To promote HIV/AIDS education, Johnson authored a book for youth titled What You Can Do to Avoid AIDS (1992), undertook numerous speaking engagements, and filmed a television special that was broadcast by the Nickelodeon network. In the spring of 1992, he was invited by President George H. W. Bush to join the National Commission on AIDS. Controversy erupted when critics speculated that Johnson was being appointed to capitalize on his celebrity status and placate African American AIDS activists. Johnson responded that he did not intend to be a token, that he planned to play an active role. He urged President Bush to increase federal support of HIV/AIDS programs, and when no additional support was forthcoming, he used a public letter to resign in September, 1992.

Johnson spent time as an announcer for NBC Sports and served as interim coach of the Lakers in 1994. In 1996, he announced his comeback as a player with the Lakers. This time, players such as Malone voiced their support, and other players such as Charles Barkley and Dennis Rodman indicated the fact that Johnson was HIV-positive made no difference in how they felt about playing against him. Once on the court, the comeback proved to be anticlimactic. Johnson had gained weight, he was thirty-six years old, and he was playing against individuals far more athletic than his opponents had been during his best years. Nevertheless, the fact that an HIV-positive player could endure the physical demands of NBA competition was an important contribution.

Impact

Life after basketball was good for Magic Johnson. He operated numerous thriving businesses, including a chain of movie theaters. His Magic Johnson Foundation supported efforts in HIV/AIDS education and set up “empowerment centers” to narrow the digital divide for inner-city youth. Johnson became a role model in business and philanthropy after a legendary basketball career.

Further Reading

1 

Gottfried, Ted. Earvin “Magic” Johnson: Champion and Crusader. New York: Franklin Watts, 2001.

2 

Springer, Steve. Los Angeles Times Encyclopedia of the Lakers. Los Angeles: Los Angeles Times, 1998.

Citation Types

Type
Format
MLA 9th
Polley, Michael. "Magic Johnson." The 1990s in America, edited by Milton Berman, Salem Press, 2009. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=1990_1294.
APA 7th
Polley, M. (2009). Magic Johnson. In M. Berman (Ed.), The 1990s in America. Salem Press. online.salempress.com.
CMOS 17th
Polley, Michael. "Magic Johnson." Edited by Milton Berman. The 1990s in America. Hackensack: Salem Press, 2009. Accessed October 22, 2025. online.salempress.com.