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Our history

Discover Johnson & Johnson’s rich history of healthcare innovation.

We believe good health is the foundation of vibrant lives, thriving communities and forward progress. That’s why for 139 years, we have aimed to keep people well at every age and every stage of life. Learn about our history.

Our stories

Read behind the scenes details of how we’ve worked to improve the health and lives of people worldwide.

Company timeline

Beginning with the 1876 World’s Fair, discover key moments in Johnson & Johnson’s history.

From the archives

Learn about our iconic and pioneering products, and see some of our advertisements through the years.

Highlights from our history

The legacy of Dr. Paul Janssen: How a “funny idea” helped change the course of modern medicine

When the Belgian physician created his research lab in the 1950s, he did it largely on his own. But it didn’t take long for the medical community to realize the then 26-year-old was on to something profound. Over the course of his long and esteemed career, Dr. Paul, as he was known, coined more than 100 patents and developed dozens of life-changing medications.

The inside story of the Powerhouse

Johnson & Johnson has always used cutting-edge technology to move medicine forward. This was true even in the early 1900s, when a new brick building began supplying electrical power to company facilities. Here’s a short history of this still-in-use part of the New Brunswick campus.

A businessman with a penchant for helping others

The brother of Johnson & Johnson cofounders Robert Wood Johnson and James Wood Johnson, Edward Mead Johnson led the company’s sales and marketing division in the 19th century. In 1898, Edward Mead left Johnson & Johnson, taking with him the company’s digestive products line, a business that would eventually become a leading global company in the field of infant and child nutrition.

Immerse yourself in our history

Our beginning

Learn about the early days of Johnson & Johnson.