Recognizing the PR Industry’s Black Pioneers
By Camden Skoll
The public relations industry is constantly growing and changing, but it is important to remember some of the industry’s key pioneers. Recently, people in the United States have been fighting for social equality for the black community. With that being said, there are many black PR professionals that helped shape and develop the PR industry that should be recognized.
Jesse J. Lewis
Jesse J. Lewis founded a small marketing firm in college and when he graduated in 1954, he founded one of America’s first African American owned public relations firms, Jesse J. Lewis and Associates. In 1975, Dr. Lewis continued to make an impact on society as the first black man to be appointed as a cabinet member for Alabama’s governor at the time. He established a public policy consulting firm called The Lewis Group in 1995 and helped his clients become recognized all over the nation.
Maggie Lena Walker
Maggie Walker fought hard to achieve her goals despite facing racial inequality. Maggie attended school but was unable to attend the same graduation as the white students in her class. Because of this, she took part in a protest demanding change and received national media coverage from the black press. In 1903 Maggie opened the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank and went on to become its president, making her the first African American woman to become president of a bank. She used her business and marketing skills to facilitate loans to members of the community who were struggling financially.
Barbara Harris
Barbara Harris began working in public relations when she joined the Joseph V. Baker Associates firm, which was the first black-owned PR firm in the country. While working there, Barbara became the first woman of color to handle PR for major companies. In 1973 she was elected president of the Philadelphia chapter of PRSA and received an American Black Achievement Award in both 1989 and 1990.
Joseph Varney Baker
Joseph Baker was a disabled man, but he didn’t let that stop him from achieving great things; Baker formed his own public relations firm. This was the first black-owned PR firm in the United States. He also became the president of Philadelphia PRSA and was the first African American to get accredited by PRSA.
For more information on the PR industry’s black pioneers visit prmuseum.org.